What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
A disturbing case of digital identity theft has emerged in Bangladesh after a fake Facebook account was created using the name and photograph of a serving Tourist Police officer and used to publish allegedly “derogatory” content concerning Islam and Muhammad.
On September 7, Officer Bishwajit Roy filed a General Diary (GD) at Gowainghat Police Station over an alleged conspiracy to defame him and the police force. Roy, a native of Sunamganj, is currently deployed at the Jaflong Tourist Police Zone.
According to the filed GD and local sources, Roy learned of the account at approximately 11:44 a.m. through a journalist. Upon following a link sent to him, he discovered a Facebook profile bearing his name and using a photograph identical to that of his verified account.
The fraudulent account had posted offensive and misleading comments concerning the Holy Quran, Islam, Prophet Muhammad and Hazrat Fatema.
Roy categorically denied making any such posts from his genuine account. He further noted that the suspicious profile contained multiple spelling errors, which he said reinforced his belief that someone had deliberately fabricated the account to damage his reputation and embarrass his family.
Roy said that he had informed Jaflong Tourist Police Zone In-Charge Tapan Talukdar before formally reporting the matter to police.
This case appears to fit the deeply troubling pattern of deliberately portraying Hindus as committing blasphemy, a charge capable of unleashing severe social, legal and physical consequences.
Bangladesh has a long history of blasphemy allegations and accusations of religious offence being weaponised against religious minorities, turning digital claims into instruments of intimidation, public vilification and violence.
The Bishwajit Roy case should therefore be investigated with exceptional urgency.
