Allegation of Patronising Militants: Complaint against Rajshahi mayor, Ex-minister Aminul, ex-SP Masud Miah, DC also accused

A complaint was lodged yesterday against four people including Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and former post and telecommunications minister barrister Aminul Huq accusing them of aiding and abetting militants of the banned Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

The other two accused in the complaint are former deputy commissioner (DC) of Rajshahi Aziz Hasan and then Rajshahi superintendent of police (SP) Masud Miah (dismissed in 2006).

Advocate Moazzem Hossain from Mollahpara of Rajshahi city lodged the complaint with Rajpara Police Station in Rajshahi at 4:00pm.

Police officially received the complaint at 7:00pm and sent it for home ministry's recommendation as to whether the complaint can be filed as a regular case.

The compliant has many components for it to be filed as a sedition case, said a senior police official.

This is the first complaint filed against mayor Minu implicating him with JMB.

In his complaint, advocate Moazzem said on May 23, 2004, assisted by the accused four -- mayor Minu, barrister Aminul, DC Hasan and SP Masud -- JMB leaders Prof Lutfar Rahman, Mahtab Khamaru, Abdus Sattar, Jalil Amin, Natib Lutfar and others gathered around 2,000 militant activists from Rajshahi and its adjacent areas and marched toward Rajshahi city.

The militants paraded different city streets and chanted various anti-state slogans that included declaring a war against Bangladesh and vows to form an Islamic jihad group in their bid to establishing an Islamic state in the country.

The JMB militants from the procession also submitted memorandums to the then DC and SP.

Later, the JMB militants held a street rally in front of Rajshahi Court. In the rally, many militant leaders boasted that mayor Minu, barrister Aminul, DC Hasan and SP Masud had assured them (JMB) of extending full cooperation and support in JMB's bid to establishing an Islamic state.

Militant leaders also declared that they were pledged to "change the map of the country" and both Minu and Aminul would help JMB strengthen by providing the necessary financial and administrative assistance.

Moreover, the JMB leaders announced that they would kill leaders of different political parties as well as journalists who stood in their way.

The militants delivered similar speeches from another rally organised later at zero point of Saheb Bazar, the complainant added.