Indian-American politician Tulsi Gabbard has been widely discussed for her statements regarding Bangladesh. Recently, a video claiming to feature her comments on the current situation in Bangladesh has gone viral on social media. The video has been shared from multiple Facebook accounts, groups, and pages, often with the same caption.

In the video, Tulsi Gabbard is heard saying, “Two weeks ago, I heard something disturbing—that an ISKCON temple in northeastern Bangladesh was attacked because Muslims had gathered for prayers. In June, ISIS claimed responsibility for the killings of a Hindu priest, an ashram worker, and a Christian grocer in Bangladesh. Recently, not only Hindus but also Christians, moderate Muslims, secularists, humanists, and other religious minorities have been attacked and killed in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Kashmir, and Bhutan. So we must ask, What is the cause of this violence and madness?” (Translated from Bangla).

A Facebook page named Farid Dhali posted the video at 10:33 PM on Sunday, February 16. This post gained the most traction, with the caption, “Speaking on the current situation in Bangladesh... U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard” (spelling unchanged). By 5 PM on Monday, the video had been viewed 12,000 times, with 1,000 reactions, 23 comments, and 230 shares. While some commenters dismissed it as misinformation, others believed it to be true. A user named Kazi Nakibul Islam commented, “Insha Allah, Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu." The video was also posted with the same caption from accounts affiliated with the America Awami League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, and a user named Hussain Saddam, who is linked to the Narayanganj Chhatra League.

Upon conducting a reverse image search on key frames of the video, the original footage was found on the official YouTube channel of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) news agency. The video was originally published on September 16, 2016. A comparison of the viral video with the original footage reveals similarities in Tulsi Gabbard’s red outfit, the background wall, and the positioning of the microphone.

The video description confirms that on September 13, 2016, Tulsi Gabbard was the keynote speaker at ISKCON’s 50th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C. The section of the video that has gone viral can be heard at the 3-minute, 24-second mark. During her speech, she stated, “Two weeks ago, I heard something disturbing—that an ISKCON temple in northeastern Bangladesh was attacked because Muslims had gathered for prayers. In June, ISIS claimed responsibility for the killings of a Hindu priest, an ashram worker, and a Christian grocer in Bangladesh. Recently, not only Hindus but also Christians, moderate Muslims, secularists, humanists, and other religious minorities have been attacked and killed in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Kashmir, and Bhutan. So we must ask, What is the cause of this violence and madness?” (Translated from Bangla). The same information and video were also found in a report published on ISKCON’s official news website on September 16, 2016.

Additionally, a report from Iowa State University’s Women’s Political Communication Archive states that Tulsi Gabbard served as the U.S. Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021. This confirms that she was not the U.S. Director of National Intelligence at that time.

Therefore, the claim circulating on social media that U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has commented on Bangladesh’s current situation is misleading. In reality, the viral video is from her speech at ISKCON’s 50th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 2016, and is unrelated to recent events.

Original News Source: https://www.ajkerpatrika.com/fact-check/slip-of-tongue/ajp1eizggaier