Himu's Window

A Rajshahi court yesterday rejected bail prayers of the 10 Hizb ut-Tahrir leaders and activists who were arrested September 18 on suspicion of their involvement in militancy and anti-state activities. The Court of Rajshahi Metropolitan Magistrate BM Tarikul Kabir denied the bail prayers after police claimed that investigation was still going on against the accused. The arrestees were not produced before the court and only their prayers were sent to the court. They are detained under section 54 of the CrPC. "We also said verification of their previous criminal records, if any, is yet to be completed in police stations concerned," said Court Inspector Mahbubul Kuddus Siddiki. Hizb ut-Tahrir Coordinator and Dhaka University teacher Syed Golam Mowla and Ahmed Jamal Iqbal, teacher of South East University and a senior member of the Islamist group, were arrested along with eight others on September 18 in Rajshahi. However, police did not lodge any case against them, a

  Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) yesterday threatened to bomb police stations and check-points in the city. In a fax to the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) headquarters at around 6:00pm, the banned Islamist outfit said it would launch attacks in retaliation for arrest and harassment of its cadres. Confirming the threat from the militants, Mahfujur Rahman, assistant commissioner of RMP Detective Branch (DB), told reporters that they have beefed up security at police stations and other installations in the city. The fax said JMB has enough explosives to bomb the police stations. Addressed to Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), superintendent of police, DB and National Security Intelligence, the fax did not carry any signature. It said the outfit has targeted police stations since the law enforcers are "creating obstacles to its operation". Earlier on September 7, another fax purportedly sent by JMB threatened to bomb the residences and offices of caretak

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=55812   Julfikar Ali Manik and Shariful Islam Investigators are now probing Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh's suspected involvement or link with militancy at home and abroad following Thursday's arrest of 10 of its leaders and activists in Rajshahi. Sources in the law enforcement agencies yesterday said the arrests were not unexpected and that the agencies were looking for Tahrir men after a few of them distributed leaflets at Baro Masjid in Rajshahi around 10 days before the arrests. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Mahbub Mohsin yesterday said the arrest of Tahrir leaders on Thursday was not surprising. "We had been looking for the organisation's leaders and activists for distributing leaflets at Baro Masjid," he told The Daily Star. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies suspected Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh as a militant organisation and kept it under watch for quite a long time although it is

Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh yesterday threatened to oust the government by launching a movement if its 10 leaders and activists arrested in Rajshahi on Thursday are not released within 48 hours. The threat issued at a meeting of the organisation in the capital was apparently in violation of the state of emergency but no action was taken in this regard as of filing of this report at 10:00pm yesterday. Akramul Hossain, assistant commissioner of Special Branch of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, said, "We may seek necessary govern

  Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh remained unnoticed for several years before the grenade attack on the British high commissioner at Hazrat Shahjalal shrine in Sylhet over four years ago. Though it has been banned in Asian and European countries and even in the Middle East, its chapter here has been operating overtly and unhindered for the last few years. Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh had posted anti-British and -US posters around the Shahjalal shrine two days before the attack on the then UK High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury on May 21, 2004. This made the investigators suspect that the shrine attack was carried out by Hizb ut-Tahrir. Since then, the outfit has been alleged to have militant links at home and abroad, said a law enforcement official who was involved in the probe. Rajshahi police yesterday rounded up some of their leaders and activists as they were preparing to hold a press conference in the divisional city. According to information from different websites, Hizb ut-

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) yesterday arrested the coordinator of Bangladesh chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir and nine of his cohorts at Rajshahi City Press Club on suspicion of promoting militancy in the country. The police said the Hizb ut-Tahrir men were distributing leaflets calling for establishing its self-styled Khilafat rule dethroning the present government in this holy month of Ramadan. "We arrested them on suspicion of encouraging militancy in the country...We are investigating their activities," said RMP Commissioner Mahbub Mohsin yesterday. Quoting the Quran in its leaflets, the Islamist group called upon Muslims asking them to "take oath for establishing the rule of Khilafat by dethroning the present ruler in this holy month of Ramadan" to unite Muslims and revive their lost glory. It criticises sending of forces in United Nations Peace Keeping missions for protecting "enemies" instead of "turning them the flag beare

A court in Naogaon yesterday ordered re-investigation into the murder of Idris Ali Khejur by the militants of Jagrata Muslim Janata, Bangladesh (JMJB) in 2004 accepting the no-confidence petition filed by the sister of the victim on the final report of the case. Nilima Akhtar, Khejur's sister, filed the no-confidence petition with the court on May 11 as police submitted the final report in the case during the rule of previous political government and relieved a number of militant kingpins from the charge of murder. Accepting the petition, the court asked the officer-in-charge (OC) of Raninagar police station in Naogaon to re-investigate into the case. In her petition, Nilima, the plaintiff of the case, accused 102 persons for the murder and said a number of accused, including militant kingpin Asadullah Al Galib and former BNP state minister Alamgir Kabir, were relieved from the murder charge. Other accused include Tota Khandoker, Salehin, Hafez Mahmud, ASM Azizullah,

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi   Banned Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji), comprised of Afghan war veterans, has started activities across the country to take part in the next parliamentary polls under a new name. Huji leaders under the banner of Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) gathered for an iftar party in a Rajshahi community centre in Shalbagan on September 8 claiming to be in negotiations with the government for holding political programmes openly. Even though they claimed that they are not involved in any criminal or anti-state activities, they admitted that their organisation began from Huji. They said they are still in Jihad as before in Afghanistan but the Jihad is for "rebuilding the country by promoting true democracy". They said two top Huji founders--Mufti Abdus Salam and Rahmatullah alias Shaikh Farid--are president and secretary of the party. They collected the application form for getting IDP registered with the Election Commission

  Banned militant outfits Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) in a letter to Rapid Action Battalion-5 (Rab) headquarters and Rajshahi Metropolitan Police threatened bomb attacks on the homes and offices of all advisers to the caretaker government after the EID. The also threatened bomb attacks on offices of law enforcement agencies and the administration within this month. The letter, faxed from Chapainawabganj at 12:49am on September 4, was signed by M Obaidur Rahman Giasi, self-proclaimed military chief of JMB. It was made available to journalists last night. Copies of the letter were also sent to different offices of Police and Rab in Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi. The letter held Rab responsible for executions of the outfits' spiritual leaders and blamed army personnel and police for "torture of political leaders including former lawmakers". The letter said the outfits have plans for devastating attack

A fax to Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) headquarters purportedly sent by Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) threatened to bomb the headquarters and offices of all the 12 Rab battalions within this month. The message sent from Rajshahi yesterday said bomb attacks would be made also on the offices of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Chittagong Metropolitan Police and Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, and that of all the superintendents of police.   It also said Obaidur Rahman Giashi of Rambhadrapur of Chanpainawabganj took over charge of JMB after the death of Bangla Bhai. And its main task is to carry out bomb attacks on those offices.   Rab media wing director MAK Azad admitted receiving the faxed message and said there is nothing to worry. Efforts are on to track down those who sent it.   http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=53706

  Asadullah Al Galib, chief of Islamist militant outfit Ahle Hadith Andolan Bangladesh (Ahab), was freed on bail yesterday from Bogra Jail. The High Court (HC) granted him bail in two cases as the trials could not be held within the time set by the HC six months ago. Since his arrest on February 23, 2005, a total of ten cases were filed against the militant kingpin and a close ally of executed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Shayekh Abdur Rahman. However, during the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government, Galib was relieved of charges in six of the cases and was granted bail in another case. On July 26, during the term of the present government, a Gaibandha court declared him not guilty in an explosives case. Six months back, the HC ordered that Galib would be awarded bail in two other cases (one for explosions in Shahjahanpur and the other for murdering a person in the explosions) unless the trial of the murder case is completed within three months and the

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Spiritual leader of Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) Dr Asadullah Al Galib may be freed in a few days. Galib, Arabic teacher at Rajshahi University and also chief of Ahle Hadith, Bangladesh (Ahab), was granted bail by Bogra Session Judge's court in Shahjahanpur theatre (jatra) bombing case in pursuance of an earlier conditional bail by the High Court. Now there is virtually no legal barrier in his release, said his lawyers. His release would take a few days more as there were two warrants for producing him before courts in under-trial cases, they said adding that recalling warrants are a matter of time. Out of total nine cases filed against him by the state since his arrest, he was acquitted in one case while final reports were given in five cases, relieving him of charges. He was granted bail by High Court in three other cases. However, acquitting Galib in Polashbari jatra blast case in Gaibandha, the judge had said, the prosecution

  The second court of Additional District Judge here yesterday deferred charge framing in Rajshahi University (RU) professor Muhammad Yunus murder case against eight militants of Jama'atul Mujahidin, Bangladesh (JMB) for the third time. Judge Lutfa Begum fixed October 15 for charge framing after rejecting the bail prayer of Shahidullah Mahbub, husband of executed JMB leader Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai's niece. Additional public prosecutor Masum Ahmed Tipu told newsmen that charge framing deferred yesterday as the district law and order committee sent a letter to the home ministry for trial of the case in Speedy Trial Tribunal. Charge framing was delayed twice earlier as law enforcing agencies could not produce all the accused before the court. Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inspector Mohammad Helauddin pressed charges against a total of eight militants on September 10 last year. Thirteen accused including six cadres of Islami Chhatra Shibir were dropped f

Published On: 2008-08-13 Front Page Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Even before taking oath, Rajshahi mayor-elect and Awami League leader AHM Khairuzzaman Liton has drawn considerable controversy for his activities like visiting the den of militant-kingpin Asadullah Al Galib. Referring to the visit, even his party men say he bagged votes from many of Galib's followers. They add Liton during campaign avoided clearing his stance on militancy fearing impact on his vote tally and now made the visit. He visited central offices of Galib's outfit Ahle Hadith Andolon, Bangladesh (Ahab), its youth front Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha (AHJS) and Ahab-run Al Markajul Islami As-Salafi Madrasa in Nawdapara on Sunday and was accorded a reception. An AHJS press release says Liton in his speech observed that Ahab and AHJS [suspected militant outfits] leaders and workers faced atrocities during BNP-Jamaat rule as Galib and his men were detained over "false" accusation. The release also

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Even though the electorate expect a clear stance on the militancy issue from the mayoral candidates of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), the candidates, however, avoided talking about it fearing it would affect their vote tally. The election campaigns ended yesterday midnight ahead of the start of polling at 8:00am August 4. Campaign sources said the candidate supported by the Awami League AHM Khairuzzaman Liton believes it is better not to talk about the militancy issue at the local government election since he expects to draw large number of votes from BNP-Jamaat supporters. These votes could swing if he talks too much against militancy, an issue that plagued the region during the BNP-Jamaat regime. The BNP-backed candidate Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul felt relieved as no other candidates discussed the issue which was an "embarrassment" to the BNP-Jamaat government, party insiders said. Other candidates thought talking about the militancy issue w

Bangladesh Chashi Kalyan Samity (BCKS), farmers' wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, but also registered as an NGO, remained the party's financial front through illegal banking in at least 17 districts over a decade, sources say. Following a changed scenario after 1/11, the NGO has shut down its offices and swindled a huge amount of money collected through deposits, special deposit schemes and investment on loans among members since 1997. The BCKS business was also unlawfully sold to Jamaat supporters for covertly continuing the financial activities.Dissident BCKS officials, involved Jamaat leaders and victims say the accurate amount of misappropriation cannot be found out without proper inquiry. But they add the figure would be minimum Tk 100 crore collected from about five lakh people. The sources say each of seven BCKS branches in Rajshahi earned around Tk 2.5 crore annually and the NGO staffs were engaged in misappropriation from the very beginning. A large number of officials and emp

  Intelligence agencies fear that militancy might rear its head again as the 12 decisions the government took to step up its campaign against the menace about a year ago remain unimplemented. There is a strong possibility that the militants still at large might mount fresh attacks. Their leaders behind bars might pass them instructions to that end, taking advantage of slow trial of the cases against them, observed intelligence officials. Besides, they added, absence of motivational and reorientation programmes for over 500 detained militants, mostly operatives of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (Huji), keeps alive the threat of militancy even though it has been on the wane for some time. "Since there are no motivational programmes for the militants in jails, they might become sucked into militancy again on return to society after serving out terms. Not only that, they might try to brainwash the other inmates to join the

A Rajshahi court yesterday sentenced six militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) to life terms in jail for the murder of a rickshaw-puller during the serial blasts of August 17, 2005 in Chapainawabganj district. Rajshahi speedy trial tribunal Judge ATM Mesbauddoula convicted them for murder and sedition charges under Sections 302 and 120 (B) of Bangladesh Penal Code. The judge also fined each convict Tk 10,000, in default of which they are to spend one more year of imprisonment. Convicted Shahidullah Faruk Selim, Abul Kashem Tufan, Shakhawat Hossain Ziad and Hafez Ali Akbor Riaz were produced present on the court dock during the delivery of the verdict. The other two convicts, Shafiullah Shahid and Hafijur Rahman Dalim, are absconding. JMB militants orchestrated around 500 synchronised blasts across in all districts of the country but one, with a call for an Islamists' Jihad on August 17 of 2005. In Chapainawabganj, the blasts rocked Biswaroad crossing

Published On: 2008-06-01   Front Page   Sudden crackdown on political leaders, workers Star Report Over 200 people including 33 district and upazila level top leaders of Awami League, BNP and their front organisations, municipality and union parishad chairmen and transport leaders were arrested as of yesterday during a sudden crackdown by the joint forces starting Friday midnight. ...    ...   ...   Our staff correspondent in Rajshahi adds: Joint forces held four persons including two grassroots politicians and a Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militant at Godagari upazila in Rajshahi yesterday. District Krishak League Vice President and former panel chairman of Godagari municipality Wayej Uddin Biswas was arrested from his Sarengpur residence while ex-president of Awami League Gogram union Subhas Chandra Murari was detained at a market. JMB member Minarul Islam was arrested at Machhmara in Godagari while suspected terrorist Marshal was held at Laxmipur

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