Viral video of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan traced to Sandwip

A video showing a speaker on stage chanting a slogan, “Pakistan Pakistan, Zindabad Zindabad,” followed by a unified response from the crowd, went viral on Facebook on Monday morning.

The footage is reported to have been filmed at an event in Sandwip of Chattogram.

Locals said the incident took place during a Qur’an recitation conference held in Maitbhanga Union of Sandwip on Sunday. A participant in the audience recorded the moment on a mobile phone and later posted the clip on Facebook.

The 20-second viral video shows a speaker seated on stage raising both hands and chanting “Pakistan Pakistan,” to which the audience responds, “Zindabad Zindabad.” The speaker then chants “Bangladesh Bangladesh,” and the crowd again responds “Zindabad, Zindabad”. He subsequently shouts “Nara-e-Takbeer.”

Nurnabi Rumi, a resident of Maitbhanga, who attended the event, told Prothom Alo that the incident occurred at the South Sandwip High School field. The programme was a Qur’an recitation competition featuring participants from several countries. A Pakistani Islamic speaker had just come onto the stage when the host led the crowd in the chant.

Another attendee confirmed to Prothom Alo that competitors from Iran, Egypt, the Philippines and Pakistan were present. The host reportedly chanted slogans relating to each competitor’s country as they came on stage.

Another video of the event circulating on social media supports this claim, showing an Egyptian participant being welcomed with chants of “Misr Zindabad.”

Attempts to contact Hafiz Tawhid, director of the organising body Sawtul Qur’an Institute, were unsuccessful.

Local freedom fighters have expressed strong resentment at the incident.

Sharing his reaction, freedom fighter and senior joint convener of the Sandwip unit of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Md Solaiman Badsha, said, “Chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ is audacious. I condemn it. As a freedom fighter, I want to state clearly that such slogans will not be tolerated.”

Asked about the matter, Sandwip Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mangcingnu Marma said, “I have not seen the video, and no one has brought it to my attention. If it has happened, it is unfortunate. I will look into the details.”

Sandwip police station officer-in-charge AKM Shafiqul Alam Chowdhury said he was unaware of the incident but added that the matter would be examined if such a slogan was indeed raised.