A fabricated video of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has recently been circulating on social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. In the video, Mr. Rahman is heard saying, “Instead of one body, throw ten bodies. I conclude today’s speech by urging all of you to return home with this oath. Inshallah we will see you again. Allah Hafez, Pakistan Zindabad, BNP Zindabad.”
This video has been circulating on platforms since 2018 right before the last national election.
Upon closer verification, it is clear that the video circulating on Facebook is a piece of content that has been doctored. The video was created by editing and merging two segments of a speech given by Tarek Rahman, the Acting Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), during a panel discussion held by BNP in London to commemorate Independence Day in 2017. Additionally, the word “Pakistan” was inserted at one point using a voice-over technique.
The authentic version of the manipulated video was located on YouTube by employing specific keywords in a search. It’s worth highlighting that the unaltered video, lasting 42 minutes and 28 seconds, titled “Address by Deshnayak Tarek Rahman,” was posted on March 28, 2017, on the official YouTube channel of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This upload took place in the context of a discussion meeting commemorating Bangladesh Independence Day.
The video’s outdated nature is evident in the highlighted areas of the above image.
The video was edited in the following manner:
Between 37:05 and 37:45 in the original YouTube video, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is heard stating: “Those in power(the rulling party) might suggest that for every one person who dies, ten should take their place. A government minister might declare that political matters are not up for discussion… The precise nature of that party’s politics needs to be clarified.” The segment “Replace 10 dead bodies for one dead body” was excised from this utterance, isolated, and subsequently appended at the conclusion of the video with an overlaid voice referencing ‘Pakistan’.