DHAKA: A fact-checking organization has labeled a viral photo depicting a slaughtered cow as misleading, clarifying that the image is not from the current interim government period but dates back to 2023 during the Awami League’s administration.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Rumor Scanner published a report on its website indicating that the widely circulated image is falsely attributed to recent events. The photo, accompanied by captions accusing Dr. Yunus of crimes against both humans and animals, has been identified as originating from an incident in 2023. The fact-checking team determined that the image is being misused to criticize the current interim government.
The investigation traced the image back to a Facebook post by Abul Hasanat, dated July 3, 2023. The post details an incident that occurred on the night of July 2, 2023, in Ward No. 2 of Char-romoni Mohan Union, Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila. The cow, owned by Dudu Mia Sardar of the Karatirhat area, was reportedly killed and left with a calf in its womb near the home of a neighbor, Badsha Molla.
Further corroboration came from a Facebook post by local journalist Mohammad Akhtar Alam. He reported visiting the site of the incident alongside the Lakshmipur District Police Superintendent and the OC of Lakshmipur Sadar Police Station. During this visit, police officials gathered statements from local residents, reinforcing the timeline established by Rumor Scanner.
The fact-checking body concluded that the viral photo’s context has been misrepresented, emphasizing that it originates from the Awami League’s governance period in 2023 rather than the present interim government.