Bangladesh Unrest: Doctored Video Of France 24 Report Shared To Claim India Involved In Sharif Osman Hadi’s Killing

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader of Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising that led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government, was shot during an assassination attempt in Dhaka last week. He later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Singapore.

Following his death, widespread outrage and unrest were reported across Bangladesh. Amid this tense situation, a viral video claims that France 24 reported that India’s intelligence agency, RAW, was allegedly involved in Sharif Osman Hadi’s killing. 

Also Read: AI-Manipulated Video Falsely Claims Palki Sharma Linked India To Killing of Bangladeshi Student Leader

Evidence

We reviewed recent France 24 broadcasts and found no such report linking India or RAW to Hadi’s killing.

A reverse image search of the viral clip led us to a France 24 video dated August 5, 2024, showing the same anchor wearing identical clothing. The original segment, however, was about American athlete Noah Lyles winning a gold medal at the Olympics, and had no connection to Bangladesh or India.

We also compared the viral clip with France 24’s current broadcast style, including graphic placement and visual elements. The layout and formatting in the viral video were inconsistent with France 24’s standard presentation. The comparison clearly indicates tampering.

The audio from this clip was again analysed using Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector, which flagged it as likely deepfake. Resemble AI also identified the anchor’s voice as fake, reinforcing that the video was manipulated.

Propagation Pattern

During the course of our investigation, we observed that several pro-Pakistani social media accounts  were actively amplifying the video. The coordinated sharing appears aimed at promoting an anti-India narrative amid the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh.

Also Read: AI-Manipulated Videos Falsely Claim To Show Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt Criticising Nitish Kumar Over Hijab Row

Verdict

The viral video claiming that France 24 reported on India’s alleged link in Sharif Osman Hadi’s killing is fabricated.

FAQs

Q1. Who was Osman Hadi?
Osman Hadi was a leading figure in Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising, which led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Q2. How was the manipulation in the videos detected?
Reverse image searches traced the visuals to an unrelated original report. Audio analysis using multiple deepfake detection tools indicated a high likelihood that the voices were AI-generated.

Q3. Who is amplifying these manipulated videos online?
Many of such posts were found to be promoted by pro-Pakistani social media accounts, suggesting a coordinated attempt to push an anti-India narrative during the crisis.

Sources
YouTube Video By France 24, Dated August 5, 2024
Resemble AI Website
Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector