Himu's Window

A Rajshahi court on Thursday ordered an organisation named Tawhid Trust to hand over its 5-storied building at Kajla in the city to its ousted member, an detained militant kingpin and Ahle Hadith Andolon, Bangladesh (Ahab) chief Asadullah Al Galib within 15 days.   Galib, also a Rajshahi University Arabic teacher was arrested in February 2005 after captured JMB militants named him as their spiritual head.     Zahangir Alam Mollah, judge of public safety tribunal and second special sessions court in his ruling turned down a lower court order that in 2004 adjudged Tawhid Trust and its contemporary officio as tenant of the building.   Tawhid Trust chairman Abdus Salam, secretary general (SG) SM Mahmud Alam, assistant SG Rezaul Karim and their lawyers condemned the judgment to be 'unilateral and biased' and said they would challenge it to the high court.   Abu Bakar, a trust lawyer said, Galib founded the trust and established the building,...

The charge sheet against Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor and former BNP lawmaker Mizanur Rahman Minu in an extortion case was placed before Rajshahi Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court yesterday for accepting.   The CMM court, however, fixed June 6 for hearing on the charge sheet acceptance.   Sub-Inspector Abdur Rahman Sarkar of Rajpara Police Station pressed the charges against total 11 persons including Minu on May 16.   But, the case documents were shifted to a judge court following two miss cases regarding ad interim bail prayer of two accused persons in the case.   Minu, however, was freed on an anticipatory bail from the high court in connection with the case.   Other accused persons in the case include -- district BNP vice president Nazrul Huda, former city BNP general secretary Shafikul Haque Milon, BNP adherents Tahajuddin, Mainul Islam, Ranju, Ashraf, Shamsul, Sentu and Abdullah Al Mamun.   The plaintiff Shamsul Alam K...

3 bombs recovered at RUET A powerful bomb was recovered from in front of the main gate of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) Tuesday night, reports our RU correspondent. Campus sources said, the bomb wrapped in red tape and plastic paper, were found on the ground of the university Central Shaheed Miner. A tea shop worker saw a red polythene bag, wrapped with red tape and informed university security guards. They informed Motiher police station. Bomb experts from the police station recovered the bomb. Motiher thana bomb expert SI Alamgir said it was a locally made powerful bomb. Earlier, police recovered a powerful bomb and a rifle from Islami Chhatra Shibir dominated Shaheed Selim Hall of REUT.     Two more locally made powerful bombs were recovered from near the main gate of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) once again yesterday.   One of the bombs was wrapped in a 4 X 10 square inches aluminum sheet...

Revolution The Islamist challenge to secular Bangladesh Nicholas Schmidle The headquarters of Al-Markazul Islami, an Islamic organization in Bangladesh, is a single tower whose frosted green windows rise several stories above the coconut trees and rooftops of Muhammadpur, a neighborhood in central Dhaka. Below, in the streets of this capital city of seven million, bicycle rickshaws with handlebar tassels, tin wheel covers, and carriages painted with faces of Bengali film stars ding-ding-ding along. Car, dump-truck, and bus horns blast four- and five-note jingles, and ambulance sirens wail. But none of the commotion reaches Mufti Shahidul Islam, the founder and director of Al-Markazul Islami, through the thick windows of his fifth-story office. Al-Markazul Islami provides free healthcare and ambulance services. Many Bangladeshi journalists, analysts, and politicians think it is just a cover, and that Shahidul's real business is jihad. "Mufti Shahidul is a ...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/24/d7052401107.htm   Killing in Rajshahi 'Rab Action' Autopsy report finds marks of torture Police yesterday submitted the autopsy report of Quamrul Islam Majnu, killed in a Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) action on May 18, to a Rajshahi metropolitan court that says injury marks were found on the victim's body. "The death occurred due to hemorrhage resulted from injuries which are homicidal in nature," reads the report signed by a three-member medical board. According to the report, nine injury marks including one in the stomach were found on Majnu's body. The report corroborated the investigation report prepared by First Class Magistrate Jonendranath Sarkar on May 20 that also found innumerable torture marks on the victim's body. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Deputy Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman said, "It has been proved in the report that it was a murder. Our next investigation will be to find ou...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/24/d7052401085.htm   Charges pressed against Dulu for JMJB link 23 others also accused; Nadim Mostafa's name dropped Police yesterday submitted charge sheet against 24 people including former deputy minister for land Ruhul Kuddus Talukhdar Dulu in a Natore magistrate court for abetting Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) militants. Arman Hossain, investigation officer (IO) of the case and also officer-in-charge of Naldanga Police Station, dropped former BNP lawmaker Nadim Mostafa from the charge sheet for lack of witnesses and evidences against him. The other accused are Ratan, Kalu, Kawsar, Amjad, Afzal, Golap, Hafizul, Yunus, Aser, Ataur, Hazrat, Wahidur, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Kuddus, Hazrat-2, Abdul Khalek, Jalal, Abdul Malek, Sahadat, Biplob, Helal, Belal and Zeher. JMJB torture victim Muhidul Islam Khan of Nandipara Darbeshpur under Puthia upazila of Rajshahi lodged the case on April 1 accusing 21 persons including Dul...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/22/d70522012715.htm   Aminul Haque sued for extortion Another case was filed against three people including ex-BNP post and telecommunications minister Barrister Aminul Haque for extorting Tk 1.5 lakh through cheating at Tanore police station early yesterday.   Other accused in the case are Rajshahi district BNP general secretary and Mundumala municipality chairman Shis Mohammad and Talora UP chairman Mofizuddin.   One Golam Mostafa of Belgharia village of Chanduria union filed the case at around 12am over an incident occurred in 2004.   He explained in the complainant, the filing of the case was delayed for he was in fear of life when they were in power.   The complainant alleged that Shis and Mofiz took Tk 1.5 lakh from him on September 29, 2004 for giving the money to the ex-minister to get him a job.   But, the accused did not assure a job for him and never returned the money, his allegati...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/23/d70523014024.htm   Top JMB leader confesses to involvement in Prof Yunus murder Operations commander of greater Rajshahi JMB Shahidullah Mahbub in a judicial statement yesterday confessed to his involvement in the murder of Rajshahi University Professor Mohammad Yunus. Metropolitan Magistrate Jonendranath Sarkar recorded his statement on his return from Dhaka where he was interrogated at Taskforce Interrogation Cell under a seven-day remand. Mahbub, also husband of Bangla Bhai's niece, was held from Bogra. Earlier on April 13 in 2006, Shafiullah Tarek, grandson of another JMB commander and militant kingpin Asadullah Al Galib, admitted his involvement in the murder. The JMB leader in his statement said JMB chief Shayakh Abdur Rahman, executed recently, ordered him over mobile phone to slay Yunus a mont...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/23/d7052301022.htm   JMB men regroup at chars in N region Leaders and suicide squad members of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) regrouped at remote chars on the Padma, Brahmaputra and Teesta are reportedly planning attacks across the northern region. Sources in the intelligence agencies said that the far-flung chars (shoals) spread over Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Sherpur and Pabna districts have long been used as training camps by the JMB. Those are considered safe haven for the militants as it takes the law enforcers hours to reach there and thus allowing the JMB operatives enough time to flee a raid. "We have kept our eyes on the northern region following the May 1 blasts at three railway stations and threats to blow up Hardinge Bridge," Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Hasan Mahmood Khandkar told The Daily Star Monday. He said the Rab is working to bust the militant remnants seeking to reform ...

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=3a1e3cdb-1047-4108-a820-7ff3eeb2874f&MatchID1=4464&TeamID1=10&TeamID2=6&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1109&MatchID2=4466&TeamID3=2&TeamID4=4&MatchType2=1&SeriesID2=1110&PrimaryID=4464&Headline=Al+-Qaeda+outfit+threatens+to+blow+up+Bangladesh+bridge     Al- Qaeda outfit threatens to blow up Bangladesh bridge   Indo-Asian News Service Dhaka, May 19, 2007   First Published: 11:29 IST(19/5/2007) Last Updated: 14:12 IST(19/5/2007)   An Islamist outfit calling itself Zadid (New) Al Qaeda has threatened to blow up the Hardinge Bridge, a key rail link between the south-western and the northern regions of Bangladesh, prompting tightening of vigil by army and security forces. Built during 1910-12 by the erstwhile British Indian government, the steel bridge over the Padma river is located near the industrial city of Pabna in west-central Bangladesh. ...

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=149823&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24   Bangladesh Islamists preparing for car bomb attacks: TV   Gulf Times : Published: Friday, 18 May, 2007, 01:17 PM Doha Time   DHAKA: Islamist militants in Bangladesh are preparing to launch car bomb attacks and carry out other deadly missions, one self-described militant commander said in a rare interview with a private television channel. "After going somewhat slow following the execution of our top six leaders, we have regrouped, received funding from Saudi Arabia , acquired training and (are) now recruiting drivers to operate suicide vehicles," he told Ekushey television (ETV). ETV aired the interview on Wednesday night, showing the militant hooded in a black robe from head to toe, and only revealing one eye. "I cannot give my name for security reasons," he said, describing himself as the commander of the Jamaat-u...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/21/d70521110594.htm   Deaths at RMCH Shahed Nasrullah, Canada I am absolutely appalled as to how the medical interns could deny care to the sick and dying patients at the RMCH. They have violated the Hippocratic Oath their actions were inhuman and unethical. They must be banned for life from practising medicine. Their action is tantamount to premeditated murder. They should be prosecuted and given the due punishment.

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/21/d70521020224.htm Editorial Death in Rab operation Such incident must never happen again The most recent incident of a young man in Rajshahi allegedly done to death by plain clothes Rab personnel who had gone to rescue a kidnapped person in the middle of the night has been very disquieting news. The official explanation of the incident given out by Rab raises more questions than it answers, even more so when reportedly the body had severe torture marks all over, which contradicts police remarks in the inquest report. And when the local police commissioner says that the incident was inhumane it must have been really so. We would like to think that it was with good intentions that the elite force was set up. It was primarily to go after the hardened criminals and habitual offenders who had money, might and, sometimes political link, to avoid the course of justice. It was these people that the public wanted to see brought to book and incarcerated. And...

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/21/d705211503130.htm   Deaths in Rajshahi hospital Mahmudul Sumon Many patients were seen leaving the hospital yesterday morning after failing to receive any care as four patients had died without any medical care earlier between 12:00 am and 6:30 am. Sima died at around 6:20am" I write this note with a heavy heart. So forgive me if I sound emotional. In fact, I write about a news report which I could not read till the end. I cannot believe that for one distressed person's mistakenly taken move (I do not want to know what it is, after all this person's wife was seriously ill), interns who would soon be doctors, can refuse their professional responsibility of saving lives. I simply cannot believe that others, including support staffs in this Rajshahi hospital could actually support such a move. I cannot simply believe my eyes that I am reading this news, looking at this picture of the family The Daily Star has courageousl...