Bangladesh Fire Footage Falsely Shared as Post-Election Arson in West Bengal
The Claim
A viral video circulating on X,[1] Facebook,[2] and Instagram[3] claims to show BJP workers setting fire to the house of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and offices linked to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) following the 2026 West Bengal assembly election results.[4]
The footage shows a large residential structure engulfed in flames while bystanders scream in panic. Posts sharing the clip allege it captures political retaliation and post-election violence after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defeated Banerjee’s TMC government.
The claims spread rapidly amid real unrest in West Bengal, where multiple people were killed in clashes following the election outcome.
What CyberPoe Verified
Verification shows the video is unrelated to the West Bengal elections and was not filmed in India.
Reverse image analysis traced the footage back to January 2026, months before the West Bengal election results were announced. The clip actually shows a house fire in Sylhet, Bangladesh.
Original Context of the Video
The footage was previously published by multiple South Asian media outlets in January 2026 in reports concerning a fire involving the home of a Hindu schoolteacher in Sylhet.[1]
At the time, some online users falsely claimed the fire was a politically or religiously motivated attack targeting a Hindu family. However, later investigations by Bangladeshi media contradicted those claims.
Local reporting and statements from the homeowner confirmed the blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit rather than arson.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LScarJG_t7o
Homeowner Refuted Viral Claims
The homeowner, identified as Bikash Kumar Dev, later publicly rejected the misinformation circulating online.
Speaking to News outlets, Dev stated the fire was accidental and said local Muslim neighbours assisted his family after the incident by helping repair the damaged property.
Bangladesh’s interim government press wing also issued a clarification rejecting claims that the fire had been deliberately started due to political or communal motives.
Why the Video Went Viral Again
The footage resurfaced after violence erupted in West Bengal following the 2026 state elections, where at least five people were reported killed in political clashes.
Because tensions between BJP and TMC supporters were already high, unrelated visuals were quickly repurposed online to reinforce partisan narratives and inflame public sentiment.
The emotional nature of the footage, combined with ongoing political unrest, helped accelerate its spread detached from its original context.
Context Behind the Misleading Narrative
The Sylhet fire itself had already been politicized earlier in Bangladesh due to broader tensions surrounding minority communities ahead of elections there.
Religious minorities, particularly Hindus, have periodically faced violence and intimidation during politically sensitive periods in Bangladesh, contributing to confusion and misinformation surrounding the incident.
However, authorities and the affected family both confirmed the January fire was an accident and not an attack.
CyberPoe Verdict ❌
False Context.
The viral video does not show BJP workers setting fire to Mamata Banerjee’s house or TMC offices after the West Bengal elections.
The footage actually shows an accidental house fire caused by an electrical short circuit in Sylhet, Bangladesh, months before the Indian election results.
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