Video of Satkhira Jamaat MP goes viral, later claimed as second wife

A video featuring Gazee Nazrul Islam, Member of Parliament for the Satkhira-4 (Shyamnagar-Kaliganj) constituency and a leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has gone viral on social media. Fact-checking organisation Rumor Scanner has stated that no evidence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology was found in the video.

In an investigation published on their verified Facebook page on Tuesday (July 21), Rumor Scanner reported that technical analysis of the video and audio did not detect any digital distortion, AI-generated alterations, or editing inconsistencies. The organisation said that after examining various elements of the video separately, no evidence was found that it was AI-generated.

After the video initially spread on social media, the Satkhira district Jamaat's media cell-affiliated platform 'Crime Barta' had claimed that it was a fake video created using AI technology. However, local leaders later backed away from that position after several more videos and CCTV footage of the same incident surfaced.

Meanwhile, Jamaat's central secretary and media division in-charge Maulana Azizur Rahman told the media that Gazee Nazrul Islam had informed him that the woman in the video is his second wife. He further claimed that the marriage took place with the consent of the first wife.

Multiple attempts were made to contact Gazee Nazrul Islam for comment, but no direct response was received. However, district Jamaat leaders said they are investigating how the video became public and who circulated it.

Following the Rumor Scanner investigation, the debate over whether the video was created using AI technology has ended, though the organisation did not make any separate comment on other claims or details regarding the incident. Meanwhile, the claim by Jamaat that the woman in the video is Gazee Nazrul Islam's second wife has further intensified discussions on social media.

It may be noted that in the viral video and CCTV footage, Gazee Nazrul Islam is seen in a room with a young woman. In various scenes, he is seen talking on his mobile phone and in close proximity to the woman. According to the timestamp in the footage, the video is believed to have been recorded on July 10, 2023. However, no confirmed information regarding the location of the incident was available.