Nasirnagar attacks: Rasraj’s family demands his release

The Facebook photo that led to attacks on Hindu homes and temples at Nasirnagar could never have been posted by Hindu fisherman Rasraj Das, his family members have said.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 2 Dec 2016, 11:41 AM
Updated : 2 Dec 2016, 12:38 PM

“My son is innocent. He does not know how to read or write. It is impossible for him to write anything on Facebook,” said his mother Namita Rani Das at a press conference in Dhaka on Friday.

She demanded that her son be released from jail.

Rasraj was arrested and taken for questioning over a photo posted on his Facebook page insulting Islam.

Few days later, on Oct 30, at least 15 temples and more than a hundred Hindu homes at Nasirnagar were looted and vandalised by mobs who had gathered to protest against the photo.

But doubts have been raised on whether the 30-year-old fisherman, without any academic skills, was capable of editing a photo. 

Police have recently arrested one Jahangir Alam, a cyber cafe owner from Harinberh village, on suspicion that he posted the photo after hacking into Rasraj’s Facebook account.

Namita Rani told the press conference that Rasraj, still in Nasirnagar Jail, is the second of her three sons.

“My son never went to school. He catches fish at Balinga Beel with his father and elder brother.”  

His brother ‘Doyamoy’ said: “Me and Rasraj, we can’t even write our own names. Our other brother Palash is the only one who went to school. He studied until the third grade.”

He said, the family took shelter prior to the attack after being warned by other villagers.

Rasraj bought a used mobile phone with Tk 2,200 couple of months ago, said his brother-in-law ‘Nepal’. But he cannot use Facebook.

Jagannath Chandra Das, Rasraj’s father, said his family heavily objects to reports that suggest they have run away to India.

“None of us have fled to India. We are staying with our relatives. We have been going to Rasraj’s hearings.”

Jagannath said the post denigrating Islam is part of a conspiracy for launching pre-meditated attacks on Hindu homes and temples.

The Jatiyo Hindu Mohajote organised the press conference at the offices of Crime Reporters Association Bangladesh.