An x-user has the photo with the headline “News from #Bangladesh In recent days, Islamists and Muslim students have been forcing Hindu teachers to resign. A shocking case has come to light from #Dhaka. It is Gitanjali Barua. She was the principal of Ajimpur Government Girls’ School and College. Muslim students put pressure on her to resign. She did not agree. So Muslim students tied her to a tree in the school for hours. The incident happened yesterday, 20.08.2024. This is a #pogrom in #Bangladesh. #SaveBangladeshiHindus” (Archive)

Similar posts can be viewed Here And Here. (Archive 1, Archive 2)

The New Indian Express also published the story claiming that Principal Barua was tied to a tree by her students.

Fact check:

NewsMeter found the claim to be misleading. The woman seen in the photo was a former student of the school and not principal Gitanjali Barua.

A keyword search confirmed that the headmaster’s name was indeed Gitanjali Baruabut she was not the person tied to the tree.

A reverse image search for the viral photo led us to a report by Ajker Patrika published on August 19, 2024, with the title “Students threatened, former student tied to a tree in Azimpur” (translated from Bangla).

The article contained a Video report about the same incident in Ajker Patrika.

In the video, students of Azimpur Girls School and College demanded the resignation of two teachers, including the principal. When the teachers brought in former students to confront the protesters, the students tied one of the former students to a tree.

We found another video report from ATN News titled “Azimpur Govt. Girls School & College | Quota Andolon | ATN News” showing students holding placards during the protest. One placard reads: “There is no room for corruption” (translated from Bangla).

According to the report, some people claiming to be former students tried to disrupt the protest. In response, the students tied one of these people to a tree. Eyewitnesses, including students and parents, confirmed in the video that the tied person was an outsider.

Additionally Facebook post of Azimpur Government Girls School & College clarified that false rumours were being spread about the incident. The post reads, “Some people are spreading false rumours in the name of the school. Moreover, some are fomenting conflict between Hindus and Muslims with malicious intent. The person tied to the tree is neither Gitanjali Barua nor is she a teacher of the school. She is claiming to be a former student of the school (though there is no evidence of this). In an agitated state, the students tied her. (We do not support tying students to a tree.) The incident was unintentional. I request everyone to refrain from spreading rumours. Every teacher is equal to us and we do not want any disrespect to be shown towards them.”

A report by Discard published on August 21, 2024, further confirms that Principal Gitanjali Barua voluntarily resigned on August 18, 2024, in response to the students’ demands. She also stated that there was never any incident of her being tied to a tree.

Therefore, the claim that Muslim students of Azimpur Girls School and College tied the Hindu headmistress Gitanjali Barua to a tree is misleading. The person in the video was not the headmistress but an outsider who was involved in an altercation with the protesting students. The incident was misreported and exaggerated on social media.