Jamaat chief put on 7-day remand over suspected militancy ties

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) claimed that they had unearthed 'direct' involvement of the Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman with the militant outfit Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.

Additional Commissioner of CTTC Md Asaduzzaman made the disclosure Tuesday after the Jamaat ameer was arrested from his Bashundhara residence around 4:00am in connection with a militancy case filed with Jatrabari Police Station on 2 November under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on the same day granted seven-day remand for Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman while police sought 10 days to question him in the militant case.

Earlier on 9 November, Shafiqur's son Rafat Chowdhury was arrested from Sylhet in the same case.

"So far six people have been arrested in the case," the CTTC chief told a briefing at the DMP media centre.

According to the CTTC, Rafat is the Sylhet regional coordinator of Al-Qaeda-inspired militant outfit Ansar Al Islam and has been persuading young people to leave their homes for so-called jihad on behalf of the Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya'.

Back in November, Asaduzzaman had said the CTTC unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police will investigate whether Jamaat has any connection with the new militant outfit "Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya".

The Rapid Action Battalion also said that they had so far arrested a total of 26 members of a new extremist organisation 'Jamaat Ul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya' from different parts of the country.

Md Asaduzzaman on Tuesday afternoon told the media that earlier Rafat was involved in 'Chatra Shibir', a student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami and he was 'Shathee' (an active member) of this organisation.

The CTTC chief claimed Dr Shafiqur Rahman has inspired and also financed eleven youths who left home for so called 'Jihad' on behalf of the Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya' for joining Kuki-Chin National Army's training camp in Bandarban.

"He (Rafat) was Sylhet regional leader of Ansar Al Islam, later the Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya' and inspired youths to join the new outfit and had been doing dawat activities in Sylhet region. And the activities were held at Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman's Sylhet home and he was aware of all those activities," said the additional commissioner.

Later in 2021, at least eleven youths including Rafat left home for Bandarban to join Kuki-Chin National Army training camp.

Failing to communicate with the Kuki-Chin National Army chief he returned to Dhaka, but some other members of the outfit later joined the training.

"In June 2021, Rafat came back from Bandarban training camp with his father's permission and his father bore all the expenses and managed two different microbuses to dodge the law enforcement agencies, and they came back to Dhaka and Sylhet," he added.

"He was fully aware of this, in some cases he gave assistance and financial support," Md Asaduzzaman said.

The main opposition BNP on Saturday announced a 10-point charter of demands, including the resignation of the Awami League government, from a rally in Dhaka.

Jamaat, later, announced a similar movement.

Asked about the whereabouts of two snatched militants, the CTTC chief said, "Please don't raise the issue today."