Himu's Window

A court here sent 24 cadres of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) to jail custody yesterday when they were produced before the court. Police implicated three PBCP leaders in murder cases and sent eight persons as JMB suspects and 13 others as underground PBCP suspects to jail under section 54 of CrPC. "Even if we caught them on suspicion, we are still investigating their roles", said Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury, additional superintendent of police in Rajshahi. PBCP commanders Amjad Hossain Baxi and Abul Hossain and another leader Sajjat Hossain were shown arrested in different murder cases. The eight militant suspects of JMB are Fazal Haque, Abdul Jalil, Raziqul Islam Rocket, Hafizur Rahman, Afsar Ali, Moazzem Hossain, Habibor Rahman and Yaad Ali. Thirteen other PBCP suspects are Rafiqul Islam, Shafiqul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Jabbar, Meser Ali, Ahad Ali, Uzzal, Shahjahan Ali, Shamsul Haque, Taiyabur Rahman, Abdur Ro...

Friday, April 10, 2009 Police captured eight outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants and 16 underground operatives of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) during a ten-hour special drive in Bagmara upazila yesterday. Led by Additional Police Superintendent Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury of Rajshahi, police in eight groups conducted the drive in Taherpur municipality, five unions of Bagmara and surrounding villages of Puthia and Durgapur upazilas. "Our drive was aimed at improving law and order in the area", Chowdhury told The Daily Star. He said the operatives of JMB and PBCP had been regrouping in Bagmara since the general elections and holding several secret meetings. "Most of the arrestees are suspected to have taken part in the meetings," he added. The police and locals of Bagmara said PBCP had been preparing for retaliation against JMB killings and tortures in 2004 while JMB to arrests and executions of JMB men in later years. The a...

  Naogaon police yesterday arrested an underground operative and chief commander of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP/ML Red Flag), from Manda upazila. The arrestee was identified as Motiar Rahman alias Mantu, 53. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by circle ASP Sohel Reza raided Turupbaria School field in the early hours and succeeded arresting him when he was holding a secret meeting with cohorts. Other operatives, however, managed to escape from the spot. Naogaon Police Super Mofazzel Hossain at a press conference at his office said Motiar is now undergoing interrogation. Motiar took over the post of PBCP chief after July 27 when the former chief Dr Mizanur Rahman alias Tutul was killed in a crossfire, he added. Motiar was evading arrest since he was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging in the UP Chairman Golam Rabbani murder case of Baghmara upazila in Rajshahi three years ago on July 25, 2005. Police had announced a bounty of Tk 1.0 lakh for in...

Published On: 2008-09-16 Front Page A wanted criminal and member of the underground Sarbahara Party was killed in a crossfire between police and his accomplices at Birkutsa Sahapur areas in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi early yesterday. The dead man was identified as Abul Hasen alias Kana Abul, 43 of Aloknagar village in Hamirkutsa union of the upazila. Sahabuddin Khalipha, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bagmara police station said, police arrested Abul from his home on Sunday noon. Police then took him along to retrieve arms from an area, based on information revealed in his statement. When they reached the spot, Abul's gang members opened fire on police. The police shot back and at a stage Abul received bullet wounds while trying to flee. Abul was a listed terrorist and a member of Sarbohara Party, the OC said. He was absconding since a murder case was filed against him. He was sentenced to life-term imprisonment in the case.   http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?...

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi The government is planning to officially ban 18 splinter groupings of clandestine armed communists soon, as law enforcing agencies identified them as organisations engaged in anti-state activities in 13 north-west and southern districts. According to top officials of police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), the decision is being taken for the first time since the independence of the country, with an aim to eradicating such organisations before the next parliamentary election. Responding to recommendations of different intelligence agencies, the police headquarters in early August sent a proposal to the home ministry for banning the outfits, sources said. On Thursday, the home ministry in a top level meeting with chiefs of law enforcement and intelligence agencies discussed the matter and initiated a process of banning the outfits. Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin chaired the meeting. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Muhammad confirmed ...

Published On: 2008-09-03 National   Outlaws, Islamist militants active again in 18 groups in northern, southern districts Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have launched special operations in 13 northern and southern districts as intelligence reports said outlaws and Islamist militants have become active again in 18 groups ahead of planned upazila and parliamentary elections. The law enforcing agencies have started the operations with a list of some 1000 outlaws and about 500 Islamist militants in hand, sources said. Of them, 350 outlaws and 150 Islamist militants are in Rajshahi division. Their numbers may be more as all the outlaws and militants could yet to be identified, sources in the law enforcement agencies said. The operations are going against both the outlaws and militants simultaneously. The special operations to dismantle the militant outfits and outlaws' organisations were taken following recent investigations into their a...

    Security has been beefed up at all vulnerable points and important installations in five northern districts, including Rajshahi, in the wake of the killing of Dr Tutul, chief of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (red flag), in 'crossfire' between the police and his accomplices in Naogaon on Sunday. All police stations, outposts and camps in the division have been put on high alert, sources in Rajshahi divisional police said yesterday. The sources said that the operatives of outlawed parties see Tutul's death as a blow to their two decade-old underground 'armed struggle for socialism'. The law-enforcement agencies, including the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), have also intensified their combing operations to track down the listed outlawed party operatives. Tutul, a physician-turned-outlaw, was also known by the names 'Rafiqul', 'Masum', 'Masud', 'Milon' and 'Dadabhai'. He was killed in 'crossfire...

Chief of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP Marxist-Leninist) Lal Pataka faction Dr Tutul was killed in "crossfire" between police and his accomplices before dawn yesterday in Naogaon. In a separate incident in Natore the same day, an outlawed party member and a suspect in the Bamihal police killing and arms looting case was killed in a similar fashion. A physician-turned outlaw, Tutul is believed to have masterminded the killings of political figures in Rajshahi, Natore and Naogaon as well as the police killings and arms lootings at Bamihal in Shingra, Taherpur in Rajshahi, Randhunibari in Sirajganj and Chowbaria in Naogaon, said police. He was wanted in over 200 cases filed with different police stations in greater Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj and a number of other northern districts. The 42-year-old extremist group leader, son of Daud Hossain Biswas from Kotchandpur in Jhenidah, was known under several aliases including Dr Mizanur Rahman, Rafikul Islam, Masud, M...

Around 40 top tier leaders of different outlawed outfits from 10 southwestern districts are still at large despite all-out efforts to trap them in last several years. Sources say these outlaws are still active and involved in various crimes, mostly extortion and murder, in the 10 districts. They say the leaders are also trying to reorganise their own outfits and gangs to increase strength before the local government and national elections. The outlaw leaders are also trying to recruit new cadres and allegedly maintaining close contact with some top political leaders including former lawmakers. The sources say these political leaders had earlier used outlaws to manipulate polls and establish supremacy in the districts of Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Magura, Jessore, Narail, Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira. Of the top criminals, all are from outlawed parties except four gang leaders. The outlawed parties are four factions of Purba Banglar Communist Party -- (PBCP-ML...

Abdur Rashid Malitha alias Tapan alias Dada Tapan, founder of outlawed Janajuddha, was killed in a 'shootout' with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in the early hours yesterday. A woman reportedly from the 'women wing' of the outfit also died during the 'shootout'. The Rab recovered huge arms and ammunition including one AK47, books and leaflets of the banned outfit and also arrested Tapan's elder brother Akash. Operatives of the outlawed communist outfits see the death as another blow to their two-decade underground "armed struggle" in the south and northern regions to establish socialism after the death of Mofakkar Hossain, founder of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML), in 2004. Mofakkar was killed in 'crossfire' when Rab members came under attack in Kushtia on December 17, 2004. Read the report from Amanur Aman in The Daily Star

Top outlaw killed in 'shootout' Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi A regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) was killed during a "shootout" between his accomplices and police at Akna Banshbaria village under Raninagar upazila of Naogaon district early yesterday. The dead was identified as Abdul Majid alias Picchi Majid, son of Nur Mohammad of Bhatkoi village under the upazila. Acting on a tip-off, a police team from Raninagar Police Station raided an area near Banshbaria Bridge at around 2.45am where Majid and his accomplices were holding a secret meeting. Sensing the presence of the policemen, the outlaws opened fire, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate. Police sources said Majid received bullets during the shootout and died on way to Raninagar Upazila Health Complex, while his cohorts managed to flee. The body ...

8 bandits beaten to death in Natore One shot dead during Rab-robber gunfight Staff Correspondent, from Natore Villagers beat eight robbers to death while another was shot dead during a gun battle with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel at Bias Adimpur of Shingra upazila in Natore early yesterday. All nine of them were in their 20's and seven of them were identified. They are: Al Amin of Bias, Yunus of Durgapur, Helal of Sukash in Shingra upazila, Saiful and Vaina of Paota village, Yadul of Langolmara and Abdul Barik of Dighoria in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj. Rab quoting locals said the gang was engaged in criminal activities including robberies and killings. The incident occurred around 1:30am when the gang of at least 13 gathered on Adimpur Primary School ground prior to launching an attack on the village, 90km from divisional headquarters of Rajshahi. But more than 100 villagers were lying in wait for them around the field with the gang oblivious, witnesse...

Published On: 2008-06-03  Front Page   Outlaw killed in 'crossfire' Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi A member of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) was killed yesterday in crossfire between Rab and his accomplices at Namkan village of Bagmara upazila. The dead was identified as Abdur Rashid alias Sagor, 28, son of Ishaq Ali of Jhikra Joanbhagpara village. In a press release, Rab said when the law enforcers conducted a drive at Namkan village at about 2:30am, a gang of terrorists opened fire on them prompting the Rab members to retaliate. Rashid sustained bullet injuries during the shootout while his cohorts managed to escape the scene. He was rushed to a local health complex where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Rab said Rashid was accused in a number of cases on different charges including murder, extortion and robbery. The law enforcers recovered a shutter gun, a bullet, an empty cartridge, two machetes and two knives from the scene. ...

Outlaw killed in Rab 'crossfire'   An outlaw was killed in crossfire between Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and his accomplices at Haripur village of Atrai upazila in Naogaon in the early hours yesterday. The dead man, Ujjal alias Swapan of Hingalkandi village, was a member of an outlawed party, Rab said in a press release. The rab statement said that a group of terrorists opened fire on a Rab team out on a special drive at Haripur village at around 3:40am, forcing Rab members to shoot back. The criminals fled after a 12-minute shootout. Rab discovered Ujjal in a critically injured state and rushed him to Atrai Health complex, where he was declared dead on arrival. The press release, quoting locals said, in addition to being an outlaw Ujjal was also a bomb expert, extortionist and an accused in a number of cases. Rab also recovered a gun, four bombs, a 39-inch machete, a knife, two bullets, a cartridge and torchlight from the scene of shooting.   http://www.th...

Published On: 2008-05-11 Metropolitan Dismantle network, funding sources of outlaws Matin asks law enforcement agencies   Home Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) MA Matin yesterday afternoon asked the law enforcement agencies to take 'effective and synchronised' actions to dismantle the network and funding sources of outlaws in northern districts. "The government is now advancing towards holding free, fair and peaceful elections… Apprehension has risen in people's mind that law and order can deteriorate. So, all should remain alert and active against outlaws, militants and anti-social activities", said Matin. He called on the administration, police, Rab, BDR, Ansar and intelligence agencies at district and division levels to work together and resist outlaws with strong hand. Outlawed organisations must be exterminated. Identify their sources of funds. He warned that any lack of coordination in divisional and district-level administrations would not ...

Combing operation against outlaws soon in Rajshahi High level meeting today to review situation and strategy Anwar Ali, Rajshahi A massive combing operation will be launched in outlaw infested areas in Rajshahi 'within days' to nab the criminals. The special operation is being launched against the backdrop of the May 2 attack on Tahirpur police outpost and killing of a policeman and aimed at dismantling their organisations ahead of the planned parliamentary and local body elections, high police officials said. The apprehension of outlaws' activity during polls surfaced following investigation into the Taherpur attack and analysis of previous killings by outlaws, they said. Outlaws were used by political leaders in previous elections. A section of dishonest politicians maintain secret relation with outlaws and use them against opponents during election. Home Affairs Adviser Maj. Gen (Retd) MA Matin is likely to review the situation at a divisional meeting of...

Firearms looted from police recovered in Natore   All the five firearms looted from a police patrol team at Taherpur in Rajshahi were recovered from a pond at Munjalgachha of Naldanga upazila in Natore yesterday afternoon. Police recovered one SMG and four Chinese rifles wrapped with polythene sheets from the pond some 1.5km west of Naldanga Police Station following confession of suspected outlaw Bachchu. Earlier on Tuesday night, Natore Detective Branch of police assisted by a Special Branch police team from Dhaka used the latest mobile tracking technology to catch Bachchu alias Nishan from Kanpara of Hoybatpur. Bachchu's arrest and the recovery of the firearms will help arrest others involved in the attack on the police patrol team on May 2, said a police official. Following his arrest, Bachchu confessed to being involved with the outlaw team that attacked the police patrol team. He said after the attack they went to the pond and dumped the firearms into it. A hu...

Police neglect led to outlaw regrouping Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Neglect by law enforcers and lack of proper supervision by higher authorities helped underground operatives reorganise in the northwest region, said locals and police officials. The May 2 attack on police in Taherpur was an outburst of reorganization, said police sources investigating the incident. Locals in Bagmara allege police had stopped regular watch and special raids since October last year following transfer of an officer allegedly for intensive drives and netting outlaws and militants simultaneously. "I have not seen any remarkable police raids recently, while the law enforcers harassed those who expressed anxiety over outlaws' presence," said a villager asking not to be identified. Another source said, "A businessman received threats over phone at the office of the officer-in-charge just days before the Taherpur attack. The OC asked him not to worry saying outlaws are no longer a...

Outlaw Attack on Cops High alert in 5 N-dists 21 arrested as combing operation launched in Bagmara Anwar Ali, from Taherpur (Bagmara), Rajshahi Security was put on high alert in five northern districts and a combing operation launched in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi with arrest of 21 people yesterday, a day after killing of a policeman at Taherpur. The five districts are Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon, Pabna and Sirajganj. Meanwhile, Lal Pataka faction of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP--Marxist-Leninist) has confessed responsibility of Friday's attack on police. Primary investigation found the attack, which left a policeman dead, four others injured and five of their firearms looted, was pre-planned, and that the underground operatives have regrouped taking advantage of police indifference to vigilante activities. The local police also delayed rescue of the victim policemen. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Noor Muhammad, who visited the spot yesterday noon...

Outlaws kill cop, loot firearms in Rajshahi   Suspected outlaws shot dead a policeman, injured four others and snatched five firearms from them in an attack on a police patrol team at Taherpur of Bagmara upazila yesterday evening. Constable Mizanur Rahman of Panchagarh was shot point blank in the head as a group of around 25 armed miscreants attacked the police team patrolling a weekly cattle market. His body was recovered from a pond near Taherpur Degree College. Nayek Shahinur, constables Samiul Kabir and Sarwar Hossain, and ansar member Abdul Aziz of the patrol team were also found lying near the pond. They were rescued after an hour of the incident and were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Officer-in-Charge of Bagmara Police Station Fayzul Islam said all the looted firearms were Chinese rifles. "The attackers may belong to some Sarbahara outfit since there are no other underground groups in the area," said Didar Ahmed, superintendent of polic...