In what is almost becoming the norm these days, another agnostic blogger is set to face legal consequences, having ‘poked’ too hard at the delicate religious sentiments of the country’s pious Muslims. In this case, it is reputed online activist, and agnostic blogger Md. Tamzid Hussain who finds himself at the wrong end of a ‘blasphemy towards religion’ lawsuit. Roosvelt Halder, Shafi Nawaz, Riana Trina and Zahirul Islam were also listed as accused in this case.
The case was filed in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Dhaka, whilst the charges brought against Mr. Hussain were done so in accordance with Bangladesh penal code 295/295 (A).
Now the plaintiff here Md. Ashiquzzaman, a resident of Dhamrai, Dhaka, actually knew Mr. Hussain beforehand. They were apparently in regular contact with each other through social media platform Facebook, before the Mr. Ashiquzzaman went to the court of course. Our court correspondent reports that plaintiff Md. Ashiquzzaman felt compelled to file a lawsuit against Mr. Hussain after he came across a blasphemous article written by him titled “Quran Amakey Bhul Shikhiechey” (The Quran has taught me the wrong things). The article was published in their lates issue called “Tara Ki Firbey Shuprobhatey” which is maintained by the renowned freethinker magazine called ‘Atheist in Bangladesh’.
In said article, Mr. Hussain apparently made all sorts of appalling allegations and comments against Islam, Allah and its great prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which was what riled Mr. Ashiquzzaman in the first place. Although he was unavailable for comment, it is understood that Mr. Ashiquzzaman felt deeply hurt and concerned at the way agnostic bloggers tend to go overboard with their so-called ‘critical analysis’ of religion. It is assumed that
Mr Ashiquzzaman might have taken these steps in order to try and fight back on those who are unnecessarily blasphemous towards Islam. Meanwhile, the defendant was unavailable for comment as well. When our court correspondent decided to pay him a visit in his house, he learned that Mr. Hussain is out of the country and currently resides in the UK on a student visa.
