Two separate cases have been filed in connection with the attack on a Hindu house in Bagerhat, which ensued over a social media post that hurt religious sentiment of the lcoal Muslims.
On Tuesday, Hawlader, a resident of Amur Bunia village, filed a case under the Digital Security Act (DSA) against Koushik Biswas, 23, accusing him of posting offensive contents on Facebook about Islam.
Koushik was taken into custody within half an hour of the attack on Monday.
On the other hand, Koushik’s father Romney Biswas filed a sabotage case accusing 17 people and 60-80 unidentified others of vandalizing his house and setting fire to a haystack.
Police have already arrested 17 people in this case.
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When the 18 arrestees, including Koushik, were produced in the court on Tuesday afternoon, the judge directed the senior judicial magistrate to send them to jail.
Police are continuing their operation to nab the remaining accused, Superintendent of Police KM Ariful Huq said.
Quoting locals, police said some posts from a Facebook account maintained by Koushik demeaned Islam. A procession was taken out on Monday demanding Koushik be brought to justice.
Around 9:30pm on Monday, a group of locals of Nishanbaria marched toward Koushik’s home at Amorbunia village in Morrelganj before vandalizing it. A haystack was also set on fire during the attack.
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Soon after, forces from the Morrelganj and Mongla police stations arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Additional forces have been deployed in the village to avoid further untoward incidents.
Inspector SM Ashraful Alam of Morrelganj police said: “Koushik went to India three years ago. He started causing a communal rift after his return seven-eight days earlier.”
Koushik had been jailed in India for 28 days as well, he added.
