Viral video of Pakistan Independence Day celebrations in Dhaka

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a reverse image search to find the original source.

Posts from multiple Pakistani users on social media platform X on August 14, 2025, shared a video of alleged Pakistani Independence Day celebrations in Bangladesh. However, the video is old from April and shows a protest held in solidarity with Gaza.

Pakistan celebrated its 79th Independence Day this year on Aug 14.

The two countries were once one nation but split following a bloody civil war, which saw the territory previously referred to as ‘East Pakistan’ seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh. In the years since the split between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Dhaka’s leaders — especially the ousted regime of Sheikh Hasina — stayed firmly in the Indian camp, preferring to maintain close ties with New Delhi and keeping Islamabad at arm’s length.

However, ever since a popular uprising that saw Hasina’s government toppled in August of last year, with the deposed premier fleeing to her old ally India, there has been a thaw in ties between the two capitals, with trade and bilateral relations seeing a marked improvement.

HOW IT STARTED

On Aug 14, a pro-military account on X shared a video of a crowd with two men holding Pakistani and Bangladeshi flags side by side and the camera pans out to chants of freedom by the crowd behind them.

The post was captioned: “Breaking: Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations in Dhaka, Bangladesh.”

It was viewed by over 97,000 users.

The same claim with the clip was also shared here, here, here, here, here and here, racking up over 33,000 views collectively.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

A reverse image search yielded a Facebook post from April 12 with the following caption translated from Bangla: “Bangladesh is doing March for Gaza programme.”

Frame-by-frame analysis confirmed it was the same video.

Palestinian flags as well as placards showing solidarity with Gaza could be seen in the clip, further clarifying the purpose of the rally.

Further investigation led to the coverage of the rally by Bangladeshi news outlet Daily Sangbad Sarabela on April 8, featuring an interview of the Pakistani student seen in the viral video in white shalwar kameez and a black waistcoat.

The interview makes it clear the Pakistani student was holding the country’s flag at the Gaza protest.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video shows Pakistan’s Independence Day being celebrated in Dhaka is false.

The video has been shared as far back as April this year and shows a protest held in solidarity with Gaza.

Evidence and References

April 12, 2025, Facebook video:
https://web.facebook.com/share/v/1C3aEgkLPf/

April 8, 2025, Facebook video:
https://web.facebook.com/sangbadsarabela/videos/1031954422191564