Man secures bail after arrest over ‘hurting religious sentiment’
The man who was arrested for a Facebook post that featured lyrics from a Lalon song and consequently "hurt religious sentiments" secured bail from a Shariatpur court yesterday.
Shariatpur Senior Judicial Magistrate Sakib Hossain granted bail to Sanjoy Rakhit, 40, after a petition was filed with the court in this regard, court inspector Alamgir Hossain told The Daily Star.
Speaking to The Daily Star around 8:15pm last night, Nesar Alam, jail superintendent of Shariatpur, said they were yet to receive the bail order.
"Once we get the order, we'll talk to the higher authorities concerned since it is a sensational matter and then release him."
Meanwhile, Sanjoy's arrest sparked outcry among netizens.
In separate statements issued yesterday, Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad condemned the arrest and demanded his immediate release.
On Sunday, the court sent him to jail after Bhederganj police produced him before it, following complaints that his Facebook post "hurt religious sentiments".
According to police, Sanjoy was arrested under section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows police to arrest, without a warrant, someone they suspect to be linked to an offence.
On Saturday, Sanjoy, a local goldsmith, posted two lines from Lalon's song "Sab Loke Koy Lalan Ki Jaat Ei Sansare."
The post went viral and caused an uproar in the local Muslim community.
A crowd soon gathered near Sanjoy's house and locals informed police, who went to the spot and brought him to the police station.
Mintu Mondol, officer-in-charge of Bhederganj Police Station, said, "To avoid social unrest, we arrested him and brought him to the station after locals verbally complained of having their religious sentiments hurt through his post. He was later produced before the court, which sent him to jail."
Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Sanjoy's brother Sujit Rakhit said, "I won't talk about this matter. We're very worried."
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