On July 9, 2025, a trader Sohag was brutally beaten to death with concrete slabs in front of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka a video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage across Bangladesh.
However, following the incident, several Indian media outlets misleadingly reported Sohag as a ‘Hindu trader,’ a claim that has been proven entirely false and baseless. Sohag’s real name was Md. Sohag; all his family members are Muslim, and he was buried following Islamic funeral rites, as confirmed by both government and local sources
The Indian media outlet India Today has been criticized for publishing false and misleading information regarding the murder of Sohag, falsely labeling him as a ‘Hindu trader.’
This act has been widely condemned as part of a deliberate propaganda effort aimed at misrepresenting internal incidents in Bangladesh and portraying them through a communal lens. Such reporting not only distorts the truth but also threatens to damage the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and India by inflaming religious sensitivities and spreading misinformation.
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Multiple fact-checks and official statements from Bangladesh have confirmed that the victim, Sohag’s killing stemmed from extortion-related disputes not religious motives. Despite these clarifications, India Today has yet to issue a correction or apology, raising serious concerns about journalistic responsibility and cross-border media ethics.
Investigations revealed that the murder was rooted in extortion and business-related conflict there was no connection to religious identity. Not just this time, several times the Indian media has spread false information about Bangladesh.
This misinformation campaign has strained media relations between Bangladesh and India, highlighting how painting criminal incidents with communal colors goes against ethical journalism.
In response to the incident, students from Dhaka and various other universities staged protests, condemning the government’s failure to prevent such mob violence.
A case has been filed naming several accused, and some have already been arrested, including two who were found in possession of illegal firearms. While the government has promised swift justice and a thorough investigation, the dissemination of false information by Indian media has caused confusion and resentment among many.
