Journalist arrested for ‘inciting’ attack on Hindu homes in Rangpur's Gangachara
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The Army has detained a local journalist for allegedly instigating attacks on homes belonging to members of the Hindu community in Rangpur’s Gangachara Upazila, reports bdnews24.com.
Habibur Rahman Selim, a staff reporter for the local newspaper Dainik Juger Alo, was apprehended from his residence in Rangpur Sadar's Gokulpur Chawpara around 3:30am on Sunday, according to Al Emran, chief of Gangachara Model Police Station.
“Journalist Selim was at the scene during the attack on the Hindu neighbourhood in Aldadpur. He allegedly incited the attackers against the Army. Based on video and audio recordings of the incident, the Army arrested him,” said Emran.
He added that the Army handed Selim over to the police after interrogation. He has been placed under arrest in the case filed over the attack on the Hindu neighbourhood.
Selim was presented before the court on Sunday morning, according to Emran.
Earlier, on Jul 26, police arrested a Hindu teenage boy from Chhayani Balapara in Aldadpur on charges of making "derogatory remarks" about Prophet Muhammad in a Facebook post.
As the news spread, tensions escalated in the area. Later that night, the house of one of the boy's relatives was attacked.
The next day, the teenager was sent to a juvenile correctional facility by a court in connection with a case filed under the Cyber Security Act. However, tensions in the area continued to simmer.
Over the next several days, people from nearby areas came in groups and launched attacks and looted the belongings of the Hindu community.
Clashes broke out when police tried to intervene, leaving one officer injured. Several homes belonging to Hindus were vandalised.
Three days after the incident, on Jul 29, a local resident named Rabindranath Roy filed a case at Gangachara Model Police Station against 1,000-1,200 unidentified suspects.
So far, six people, including the journalist, have been arrested in connection with the case. All are currently in jail.