Nasirnagar FB Post: Rasraj innocent, claims family

Rasraj Das, now behind bars in a case for allegedly defaming Islam in a Facebook post, is an illiterate fisherman and he cannot edit a photo for posting it online, his family members said yesterday.

The arrest of Jahangir who posted the Facebook status on October 28 has made it clear that Rasraj is innocent, they added.

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Speaking at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity, Rasraj's mother Nomita Rani Das called for freeing her son.

“Please release my son. He is innocent,” she said.

Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote (Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance) organised the press conference.

Police arrested Rasraj on October 29, a day after a photo was uploaded on his Facebook wall.

Mobs, including religious zealots and local goons, vandalised and looted over 100 houses and 15 temples in five Hindu villages in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar upazila on October 30.

Police filed the case against Rasraj under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act, said leaders of the Hindu alliance. A Brahmanbaria court on Thursday sent him to jail after fixing January 3 for hearing his bail prayer.

Rasraj's father Jagannath Chandra Das told the press conference that he along with his wife and two sons went into hiding following the attack. They had been fleeing from one village to another for about a month.

Dayamoy Das, elder brother of the accused, said he and Rasraj on October 29 went for fishing. He returned home soon to take a nap and later came tow know from local children that some people picked up Rasraj and handed him over to police.

He also demanded the government take stern action against culprits to “end impunity” for attacking Hindus.

Prabhas Chandra Roy, president of the Hindu alliance, said it seems that a conspiracy has been hatched to drive the Hindus out of the country.

He expressed concern over denial of bail to Rasraj by the court.

He raised some demands, including unconditional release of Rasraj, ensuring security for his family, providing compensations to Hindus for loss of valuables and properties, and formation of a special tribunal to bring the culprits to book.

Detectives on Tuesday arrested Jahangir Alam, owner of a cyber café at Horinber Bazar of Nasirnagar, for sharing the post from Rasraj's Facebook account. He admitted to police that he made copies of it and distributed those to foment violence.