Recently, several images have circulated online with claims that Bangladeshi men and women are receiving military training near the Bangladesh-India border to prepare for resistance against India. It has also been alleged that no Hindu individuals were included in this training.

Fact-Check

An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team has found that the claim of military training for Bangladeshi men and women in border areas to resist India is false. In reality, the widely shared images depict the basic training of the Town Defense Party (TDP) organized at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Party (VDP) in the capital.

A reverse image search led to a report aired on Jamuna Television’s YouTube channel on January 19. A review of the report confirmed that the images used in the viral claim match footage from several parts of the broadcast, indicating that they were taken as screenshots from the video. The report further identified the video as showing the basic training of the Town Defense Party (TDP) under the Ansar and Village Defense Force. The training program commenced on the day the report was published, with 250 young men and women from Dhaka Metropolitan participating. It was also stated that, for the first time, the training included firearms instruction.

Following this lead, a keyword search revealed a report published on January 21 by the newspaper "Ajker Patrika", titled "Inauguration of TDP Basic Training at Ansar Headquarters." According to the report, the training was part of Youth Festival 2025, themed "Let’s Change the Nation, Let’s Change the World." The initiative aims to integrate young individuals under a common platform by providing practical knowledge on human security, community alert mechanisms, volunteerism, and disaster response in urban areas. The training involves 256 men and women from Khilgaon, Mirpur, Bhatara, and Lalbagh police precincts in Dhaka Metropolitan.

A further keyword search of the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP’s official Facebook page uncovered a post from January 19, featuring images from the training session and the inauguration ceremony. This post was shared in response to Indian news outlet "Aaj Tak Bangla", which misrepresented the images as depicting “jihadist training” in Bangladesh. The post clarified that the basic training programs for the Village Defense Party (VDP) and Town Defense Party (TDP) have been conducted regularly since the force's establishment to turn youth potential into national resources. As part of this, the ten-day training program commenced nationwide on January 19, 2025. The post also rejected allegations from Indian media that this was an extremist or militant training program.

According to the official website of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Party, the VDP was established in 1976, followed by the TDP in 1980. These two units later merged with the Ansar force, forming an integrated security structure within the country. Regular training programs are conducted annually to enhance members’ skills and efficiency.

Additionally, a keyword search of reliable media sources found no evidence to support the claim that military training was being conducted in border areas to resist India. Furthermore, there is no credible information suggesting any religious restrictions on participation in this training.

Thus, the claim that Bangladeshi men and women are undergoing military training near the border to resist India is entirely false.

Original News Source: https://rumorscanner.com/fact-check/military-training-bangladeshi-resist-india/136895