Shariful Haque Dalim, widely known as Major Dalim, is a former officer of the Bangladesh Army. He stands accused of involvement in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then-President of Bangladesh, along with his family on August 15, 1975. Dalim has remained out of the public eye for decades. Recently, claims emerged that he appeared on a live talk show hosted by Elias Hossain, a U.S.-based YouTuber. However, skepticism arose regarding the authenticity of this claim, with allegations suggesting the individual presented as Major Dalim might actually be someone else.
In this context, a photo of a man named MinhajulArefin Siddique surfaced on Facebook, claiming that Minhajul was being portrayed as Major Dalim on the live show. However, FactWatch's investigation confirmed that the man appearing on the live show under the identity of Major Dalim and MinhajulArefin Siddique are two distinct individuals.
Who is Major Dalim?
Major Dalim, whose full name is Shariful Haque Dalim, was one of 12 individuals sentenced to death for their involvement in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Following the assassination, Dalim (later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel) made the announcement on Bangladesh Radio.
Further details about Dalim's life can be found in his autobiography Ami Major DalimBolchi ("This is Major Dalim Speaking"). Born in 1946, Dalim joined the Pakistan Air Force in 1964 but later transitioned to the Army after the 1965 India-Pakistan war. Until April 1971, he served in the Pakistan Army but joined the Liberation War as one of the first defectors from West Pakistan. For his bravery during the war, he was awarded the Bir Uttom title.
After leaving the army, Dalim worked in various diplomatic roles abroad and retired from government service in 1995. Despite being sentenced to death for his role in the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Dalim has remained elusive, with no confirmed sightings for years. Reports from both domestic and international media, such as Deutsche Welle in 2021 and The Daily Star in 2022, state that authorities have been unable to locate him.
Adding to the mystery, only an old photograph of Dalim exists, leaving much uncertainty about his appearance today.
Minhajul Arefin and the Man on the Live Show: Separate Individuals FactWatch examined a report published by The Daily Ittefaq on January 6, 2024, titled “Why Does Major Dalim Lack a Finger? What Happened?” During the live show, the individual claiming to be Major Dalim referenced his participation in the Liberation War, showing his left hand and explaining that he had lost a finger during the conflict.
FactWatch's analysis confirmed that the man in the live show indeed lacked a little finger on his left hand, as evidenced at the 14-minute, 20-second mark of the broadcast. This detail led FactWatch to contact MinhajulArefin, who is currently residing in Dhaka and engaged in army-related contracting since 2019.
Minhajul confirmed that his resemblance to Dalim had led to lighthearted jokes among friends and family, which later escalated into the viral Facebook claim. To refute these allegations, Minhajul shared photos and videos with FactWatch, showing that all his fingers were intact.
This critical detail—the presence of all fingers—clearly disproves the claim that Minhajul was the individual in the live show. Minhajul’s relative, Shahabuddin Nipu, an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Chittagong University, also stated, "I can say with 100% certainty that the claim linking Minhaj to Major Dalim is entirely false."
Based on all evidence, FactWatch has concluded that MinhajulArefin Siddique and the individual appearing as Major Dalim on the live show are not the same person. Consequently, the viral claim has been deemed false.
Disclaimer: This fact-check specifically addresses the claim linking MinhajulArefin to the individual on Elias Hossain’s live talk show. It does not verify whether the person appearing on the show is indeed Major Dalim.
Original News Link: https://www.fact-watch.org/major-dalim/
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Before sharing any photocard, always verify it by checking the original media source.
Sharing religious misinformation and disinformation can cause harm. Always verify before sharing.