A video showing an attack on a Darbar Sharif in Bangladesh in November 2024 is being shared linking it to the recent violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal
Following the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the first week of April, Muslims have been protesting against the newly enacted law across the country, including in West Bengal (here, here, and here). According to news reports (here, here), on 11 April 2025, these protests turned violent in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, resulting in Violence and riots. Reports (here, here, and here) indicate that three people lost their lives in the violence: two Hindus, Chandan Das and Hargobind Das, were killed in a mob attack, while a Muslim man died in police firing. According to reports, hundreds of people (mostly Hindus) affected by the violence in Murshidabad district crossed the Bhagirathi River and sought refuge in the adjoining Malda district (here, here, and here). On 12 April 2025, the Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central forces to restore peace and order in the district (here, here). Amidst the unrest, a video (here, here, and here) showing a large group of men wearing skull caps and carrying sticks and rods while vandalising nearby crops and property has gone viral on social media. The video is being circulated with the claim that it depicts a Muslim mob attacking a village in Murshidabad, West Bengal, during which Hindu homes and crops were destroyed and livestock looted. Some posts further allege that the video shows a large number of Bangladeshi Muslims illegally entering India through the Bangladesh–Murshidabad border. In this article, we examine the truth behind the video.
Claim: Videos show a Muslim mob attacking a village in Murshidabad, West Bengal, destroying Hindu homes and crops, and looting livestock.
Fact: This viral video dates back to November 2024 and has no connection with the recent violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal. The video is related to a violent clash between two Muslim groups in Murshidpur, Bangladesh. The incident in the video occurred on 26 November 2024 in Sherpur, Bangladesh. The attack followed accusations from local madrasa teachers and residents that the darbar was involved in anti-Islamic activities. According to reports, around 400-500 people stormed the site, causing damage to property and fences. Clashes broke out when caretakers and devotees protested, resulting in several injuries and one fatality. At the same time, according to reports, hundreds of people, mostly Hindus, affected by the violence in Murshidabad district crossed the Bhagirathi River and sought refuge in the neighbouring Malda district. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
To verify the claim, we conducted a Google search using relevant keywords, which led us to an X post featuring a screenshot of the viral video dated 29 November 2024. According to the post’s description, the video shows an incident that occurred in Sherpur, Bangladesh, in November 2024, where a shrine was attacked following a dispute that arose after a man named Hafez Uddin died during earlier clashes. The post also included a news report about the incident.
The news report, referred to in the X post, detailed the incident of vandalism, looting, and arson at the Darbar of Murshidpur Pir in the Lachmanpur area of Sherpur Sadar Upazila of Bangladesh on the morning of 26 November 2024.
To gather more information about the incident, we conducted a Google search, which led us to a Dhaka Tribune report. According to the report, the police detained seven individuals in connection with the vandalism and looting at Murshidpur Darbar Sharif, led by Khwaja Badruddin Haider (Doja Pir) in Sherpur’s Lachmanpur area on 26 November 2024. The attack followed accusations from local madrasa teachers and residents of anti-Islamic activities at the Darbar. Around 400-500 people stormed the site, damaging property and breaking fences, and clashes broke out when caretakers and devotees protested, resulting in several injuries.
We also found a news report from The Daily Star stating that on the morning of 26 November 2024, an attack on the shrine left more than 10 people injured. One of them, Hafez Uddin, a 40-year-old local man, died from his injuries at a Dhaka hospital on 27 November 2024. His funeral was scheduled at the Jamshed Ali Memorial Degree College ground, which is half a kilometre away from the shrine, at 10:00 AM. Before the funeral, attendees got enraged, which led to another attack on the shrine.
Additionally, we found news reports (here, here, and here) (archive) featuring videos from the incident. By comparing them with the viral video, we were able to identify similarities. The comparison can be seen below.
From all this information, it is evident that the viral video shows clashes between two groups within the Muslim community in Sherpur, Bangladesh, that occurred in November 2024.
To sum up, a video showing an attack on a Darbar Sharif in Bangladesh in November 2024 is being falsely shared in connection with the recent violence in Murshidabad.