These images show a fictional scene in a Bangladeshi short film

This article is more than one year old.
Published on November 16, 2020 at 08:20
Updated on November 16, 2020 at 08:20
2 min read
By AFP India

Four photos have been shared in multiple Facebook posts that claim they show a Muslim cleric behaving indecently with a girl at an Islamic seminary. The claim is false; the photos are in fact screenshots from a fictional scene in a Bangladeshi short film.

The images were published on Facebook here on October 25, 2020.

The post’s Hindi-language caption translates to English as: “This cleric trying to teach Islam in an Islamic seminary. This indecency inside the seminaries should be stopped as they have become the hub of all these dirty activities. Those who raise voices against Hindu saints should speak on this as well.”

A screenshot of the misleading Facebook post

The images were also shared alongside a similar claim on Facebook here, here, here and here.

The claim, however, is false.

A reverse search on Google found the images are in fact screenshots from a Bangladeshi short film published on YouTube here on September 20, 2020.

The YouTube post’s Bengali-language title translates to English as: “Sixth grade student cried when she was in pain while her teacher was enjoying her body (short film).” The video’s caption also details the film’s director, production manager and chief assistant.

The screenshots shared in the misleading posts correspond to the film’s seven-minute 30-second mark.

Below are screenshots comparison of the images shared in the misleading posts (L) and the YouTube video (R):

The film was published on a YouTube channel called “anna bala”, which has many other short films that focus on social justice, rape, torture and other issues.

Part of the channel’s description reads: “So I am trying to make all these videos in through my channel aware into people against of torture, rape, intoxication, drug addiction, theft robbery, hijacking, bribe, extortion, inequitable, injustice, social activities, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and violence etc.”

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