Fake Photos, Fabricated Footage Flood Social Media Over Killing of Sharif Osman Hadi

A wave of misinformation, fake photo cards, AI-manipulated images and misleading videos related to slain activist Sharif Osman Hadi is spreading rapidly across social media platforms, alarming fact-checkers and observers. Since his killing by assailants, multiple false narratives have surfaced online, exploiting public sympathy and grief surrounding the incident.

Among the widely circulated fabrications are edited images showing a dog on Hadi’s grave, AI-generated visuals falsely presented as authentic photographs of his funeral, misleading images claiming to show Hadi’s infant child inside a CNG-run auto-rickshaw, and videos falsely attributed to his sister and wife. Such disinformation continues to appear almost daily across social platforms.

Several recycled and manipulated contents have also resurfaced, including an old speech video falsely claiming that Sheikh Hasina apologized over Hadi’s killing, edited photo cards bearing the name of Kaler Kantho alleging a statement by former DUCSU leader Juma on the issue, and AI-generated videos attributing fabricated law enforcement remarks to Khaleda Zia and Osman Hadi.

One particularly viral claim suggested that “Shaheed Osman Hadi’s son has been orphaned at such a young age,” accompanied by images of Hadi with a toddler. However, fact-checking investigations revealed that the child shown is not Hadi’s son. The child belongs to a different family, and no images of Hadi’s own infant have been found on social media.

Reverse image searches traced the viral image to a Facebook page named Ayhan – King Of The Moon, which uploaded the photo on December 18 at 1:32 pm with the caption, “Mashallah! If one gets such a doll, what more could one want in life.” The page’s “About” section identifies the child as Ayhan, son of Antar Mashud and Sadia Khan. Antar Mashud later addressed the misinformation from his verified Facebook account, warning users that his child was being falsely portrayed as Osman Hadi’s son.

In a June interview, Osman Hadi had stated that his child was three months old at the time. Accordingly, the child’s age in December should have been around nine months. However, the child shown in the viral image appears to be approximately two years old. Additionally, a review of Hadi’s Facebook profile revealed no images of his family or child. Based on these findings, FactWatch has categorized the claims as false.

Another widely circulated image showed a dog allegedly sitting atop Osman Hadi’s grave. FactWatch investigations confirmed that the image was edited using artificial intelligence. Reverse image searches located the original photo on a Facebook page titled Private University Student Alliance of Bangladesh (PUSAB), posted on December 20. Comparative analysis showed clear visual similarities, suggesting manipulation.

The edited image was further verified using Google’s AI-generated content detection tool SynthID, which embeds invisible digital watermarks in AI-generated or edited content. SynthID confirmed that the image was created or altered using Google AI tools. The image was also analyzed using the Image Verification Assistant tool based on the TruFor algorithm, which highlighted manipulated portions in red, again confirming AI-based alteration.

Similarly, a photo claiming to show Osman Hadi’s funeral at the South Plaza of the National Parliament on December 21 was circulated on Facebook and Instagram. Investigations by the Rumor Scanner team found that the image was AI-generated and falsely presented as authentic. No mainstream media or reliable sources published such an image, nor did any funeral videos contain the depicted scene.

Further verification found live footage of Hadi’s actual funeral broadcast by ATN Bangla on December 21. Visual comparison confirmed clear discrepancies between the authentic footage and the circulated image. Additional anomalies typical of AI-generated content were also detected. Analysis by AI detection platforms Deepfake-O-Meter and Hive Moderation assessed the video as fake with probabilities of 99.5 percent and 99.7 percent respectively.

Rumor Scanner also identified a fabricated photo card bearing the logo of BanglaVision, claiming that Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur said, “After the attack on me, Hadi ate money raised in my name.” Despite the card displaying a publication date of December 20, 2025, no such content was found on BanglaVision’s Facebook page, website, YouTube channel, or on Nurul Haque Nur’s official accounts.

In another case, a photo card featuring the Prothom Alo logo quoted Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus as saying at Hadi’s funeral, “Hero Osman Hadi, we did not come to bid farewell; you will live in the hearts of all fighters.” Investigations found no evidence of such a statement in Prothom Alo or any other credible media outlet, confirming the card was edited and fake.

A video titled “BNP and the government tremble after Osman Hadi’s sister’s earthquake-like speech demanding justice” was also debunked. Rumor Scanner found that the woman in the video was not Hadi’s sister but July Movement activist Jannatul Nayeem Promi. The footage originated from a human chain organized by Sammilito Nari Proyas at the National Press Club on December 19, protesting Hadi’s killing.

Live footage from the Islamic TV Dhaka Facebook page and additional videos posted by a user named Md Touhid confirmed the woman’s identity. In reality, Osman Hadi’s elder sister is Mahbuba Begum, his middle sister Marufa Islam, and his youngest sister Masuma Akter. Jannatul Nayeem Promi is not related to him.

Similarly, another video falsely claimed to show a statement by Osman Hadi’s wife. FactWatch identified the woman as Raihana Sultana Nasim, Treasurer of Sammilito Nari Proyas and a director of Carey Limited. She is also the niece of Mir Quasem Ali, who was convicted of war crimes. She is not Hadi’s wife.

Fact-checking organizations warn that such coordinated misinformation campaigns are distorting public discourse and exploiting emotional responses surrounding Osman Hadi’s death. Readers have been urged to verify information from reliable sources before sharing content online.

DBTech/FactWatch/Rumor Scanner/EC/OR