Ahab chief Galib still engaged in spreading militancy: Allege Jamaat-e Ahle Hadith leaders

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Freed on bail, Asadullah Al Galib, chief of the militant outfit Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (Ahab), is still engaged in spreading militancy and spending money from unknown sources.

The Ahab men, mostly divided, with no visible sources of income, are providing monthly salaries to some madrasa teachers for organisational activities.

This was alleged by leaders of Jamaat-e Ahle Hadith (Jah), an Ahab splinter group and the authorities of Al Markajul Islami As-Salafi Madrassa, in a joint press conference in the city yesterday.

The press conference was addressed by Rejaul Karim, secretary general of Jah and a teacher of Bogra Azizul Haque College, and Abdus Samad Salafi, superintendent and principal of the madrasa.

Galib was arrested in February 2005 as many arrested JMB militants named him as their spiritual leader, and he was implicated in nine cases.

However, Galib was bailed out from jail in September 2008.

Abdus Samad Salafi alleged that Galib and some of his loyal teachers have been sheltering outsiders, mostly university and college students at the dormitories of Al Markajul Islami As-Salafi at Nawdapara in Rajshahi city.

The pro-Ahab teachers led by Abdur Razzak Bin Yousuf often hold meetings with the outsiders at the madrasa mosque at midnight.

Although the madrasa is an institute under a NGO named Tawhid Trust and approved by Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board, Galib has been carrying out illegal activities of Ahab from the madrasa.

Several other Ahab groups including Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha, whose members were involved with the banned Jamaa'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), and Sonamoni are also functioning from the same campus.

Ahab is also publishing a monthly magazine named At Tahreek from the madrasa, although its printer's line claimed its address as Hadith Foundation at Kajla area.

Rejaul Karim said when he was at Ahab, Galib had introduced him to JMB's executed chief Shayakh Abdur Rahman in 2002.

"Rahman sought my help for launching an armed struggle to stage an Islamic revolution in the country, but I refused terming it a stupid idea." he claimed.

"Later I left the organisation following Galib's militant connections and financial anomalies," he said, adding, "For playing a role against Galib, the JMB militants threatened me many times."

Rejaul said with the help of Galib, the JMB men used the facilities of some 1000 mosques across the country with the support of Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS), a Kuwait-based organisation that has been already expelled from the country for funding militancy through Ahab.

Galib founded Tawhid Trust, but he was expelled from it for embezzling its fund of Tk 5 crore provided by Kuwait Embassy and RIHS.

Also known as Jomiatul Ehya-ut Turaj, the RIHS built the Nawdapara madrasa and a clinic at the madrasa compound that Galib is now forcibly using as his residence.

Galib was not available for comment.

His spokesman and Editor of At Tahreek Dr Sakhawat Hossain however refuted the allegations.

Replying to a question, Sakhawat claimed that Ahab is functioning from the madrasa following a decision of Tawheed Trust that was founded by Galib.

Asked about their monthly income and expenditure he said Ahab receives some Tk 1.5 lakh a month as subscription from its members apart from donations from its well-wishers across the country.

"We spent some Tk 1 lakh as salaries for madrasa teachers and the rest for organisational activities," he added.

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