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Bangladesh

Autopsy report: Dead youth was suicide bomber

2015-12-27

[Dhaka Tribune] An autopsy on the youth killed in Friday's suicide kaboom on the Ahmadiyya mosque in Rajshahi's Baghmara upazila confirmed that the dead was the carrier of the improvised bomb. Meanwhile, ...back at the shattered spaceship, Fffflirgoll the Arcturan slithered stealthily toward the control room, where the humans had barricaded themselves... the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (IS) yesterday grabbed credit for the kaboom, SITE Intelligence Group said. It quoted the Islamic State as saying that soldiers of the Caliphate in Bangladesh carried out the first suicide kaboom at the mosque during polytheist rituals. Dr Enamul Haque, lecturer of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital's Forensic Department, yesterday said the boy was carrying the bomb against his left upper abdomen. He said four splinters were recovered from the liver of the jacket wallah. "The man received severe wounds on the left part of his body as he was carrying the bomb on that side." Several sources in the police said they suspected involvement of banned myrmidon outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh The JMB is said to be the youth front of Al Mujahideen, the parent organization that began working toward establishing Bangladesh as an Islamic state in the mid 1990s which remains obscure even today. Other organizations, such as Jama'atul Jihad, JMB, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI), Hizbut Tawhid, Tawhidi Janata, Islami Jubo Shangha, Islami Shangha, Al Falah A'am Unnayan Shanstha and Shahadat-e al Hiqma are believed to be part of the Al Mujahideen network. The JMB at its peak was reported to contain at least 100,000 members, and an alleged 2,000-man suicide brigade, few of whom actually exploded. JMB allegedly received financial assistance from individual donors in Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Reports have claimed that funding of JMB by international NGOs like Kuwait based Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage (RIHS) and Doulatul Kuwait, Saudi Arabia based Al Haramaine Islamic Institute and Rabita Al Alam Al Islami, Qatar Charitable Society and UAE-based Al Fuzaira and Khairul Ansar Al Khairia. The top leadership of JMB was captured in 2005 and hung in 2007, which pretty much shot their bolt. (JMB) in the kaboom as the locality is known as a den and breeding ground for JMB cadres. A high official of an intelligence agency requesting not to be named told the Dhaka Tribune that they are mainly focusing their investigation on JMB involvement. An eyewitness said just a couple of moments before the blast a cycle of violence whizzed past the mosque. Law enforcers suspected the attackers had planned to escape with the motorbike but the bomb accidentally went off before the time. Motiar Rahman, officer-in-charge of Baghmara cop shoppe, said police are patrolling the area. Earlier, on Friday around 1:20pm during the Jumma prayer, a bomb went kaboom! at Ahmadiyya mosque leaving a youth dead on the spot and several others injured badly. Of the injured, condition of Moyez Uddin, 40, Sayeb Ali, 36, and Nayon, 12, were stated to be critical. They are now undergoing treatment at RMCH. Injured Moyez Uddin told the Dhaka Tribune that they saw a boy enter the mosque just after the Jumma prayer call. "He said he was from Mohonpur and studied in Rajshahi Polytechnique Institute and he came to visit a friend in the area." Meanwhile, ...back at the shattered spaceship, Fffflirgoll the Arcturan slithered stealthily toward the control room, where the humans had barricaded themselves... the sub-inspector of Baghmara cop shoppe filed a case around 2.00am yesterday accusing two unidentified youths, said OC Motiar Rahman.

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Bangladesh

Alleged militant financier Enamul remanded again

2015-09-16

[Dhaka Tribune] Ready-made garments businessman Md Enamul Haque, charged with bad boy financing in a case filed with Chittagong's Hathazari cop shoppe on February 19 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, was placed on two days' remand yesterday. Senior Judicial Magistrate Mahmudul Hasan passed the order after Enamul was produced in court and shown tossed in the clink Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up! in a case lodged over the raid of Al Madrasatul Abu Bakar, the ideological training centre of new bad boy outfit Shaheed Hamza Brigade (SHB), in Hathazari upazila, said Prosecutor Abul Hashem. Rapid Action Battalion 7 (RAB 7) raided the Hamza Brigade's ideological training centre on February 19, and then busted the outfit's military training centre two days later on February 21. The elite force discovered the bad boy outfit's explosives warehouse on February 29. Enamul, director of Golden Touch Apparels in the capital's Turag area, was nabbed from his workplace by RAB 7 on September 5, after the elite force discovered that he had deposited money into the bank account of Hamza Brigade leader Moniruzzaman Masud alias Don. On September 10, Enamul made a statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in a case lodged under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Banshkhali cop shoppe over the raid of a Hamza Brigade military camp on February 21. He was later remanded for three days after being shown arrested in the Banshkhali case. Hamza Brigade members Harunur Rashid, Md Asadullah, Mostakim Billah and Mohammad Yusuf, who were sent on three days' remand, on Sunday made statements under section 164 of the CrPC before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shahidullah Kaisar in the Hathazari case. On the night of August 18, the daughter of BNP former whip Sayed Wahidul Alam, Supreme Court Barrister Shakila Farzana, Supreme Court Advocate Md Hasanuzzaman Liton and Dhaka Judge Court Advocate Mahfuz Chowdhury Bapon were arrested for allegedly financing the Hamza Brigade. They confessed to depositing money into the account of Hamza Brigade leader Moniruzzaman Masud alias Don, but claimed to be returning their clients' advance fees. They denied involvement in funding the bad boy outfit. RAB 7 also found links between the Hamza Brigade and Dubai citizen Allama Libdi, with evidence that Libdi visited Bangladesh several times to give cash to the bad boy outfit. RAB 7 nabbed 29 Hamza Brigade members and four alleged financiers. But RAB sources said the outfit's kingpin was still on the run. Between February and June, the elite force seized 25 sophisticated native and foreign made arms including eight AK-22 rifles, 4,443 bullet rounds, 76 powerful bombs, 150 kilogrammes of explosives, 30 kinds of bomb making materials out of which 2,000 bombs could be made and a large number of documents. RAB said the Chittagong-based Hamza Brigade -- modelled on the Syria-based international bad boy outfit Mujahideen -- was formed in November 2013 by former members of Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... , the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... , Hefajat-e-Islam ...a madrassa-based false nose and mustache of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, formed in 2010 to protest against secular education. In 2011 demonstrated violentyly against women's rights and in 2013 held large rallies demanding capital punishment of Shahbag Square protesters and banning women working outside the home... and other bad boy groups.

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Bangladesh

Shibir leader dies in clash with police

2014-04-28

[Dhaka Tribune] A local leader of Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... was killed in a clash with police in Kamalnagar area of Satkhira district yesterday afternoon. Officer-in-Charge of Satkhira Sadar cop shoppe Enamul Haque confirmed the death of Aminul Islam, 32, general secretary of Satkhira unit of Shibir, to the Dhaka Tribune. Four constables of police were maimed while six Shibir activists received bullet wounds during the clash. Police recovered two pistols from the scene. OC Enamul Haque said police had raided the house of a man named Mukul after getting information about a secret meeting for planning subversive activities. "Spider senses tingling at the proximity of police, the Shibir leaders and activists went kaboom! 20 to 22 hand grenades and started firing, forcing the law enforcers to fire back," he said. Several people received bullet wounds during the clash. Later, police rescued the injured and admitted them to Satkhira Sadar hospital where Aminul died under treatment.

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Bangladesh

3 Jamaat-Shibir men killed in 'gunfight'

2014-01-27

[Dhaka Tribune] Three people -- two of them Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... activists, and the other a Jamaat leader -- were killed in "shootouts" with joint forces in Satkhira and Jhenidah early yesterday. The law enforcement agencies said three sub-inspectors and three constables were also hurt in the fights. The dear departed were Enamul Haque, 50, the secretary for Financial Affairs of Jamaat's Kotchandpur upazila unit (killed in Jhenaidah); Abul Kalam, 22, secretary of Shibir's Debhata upazila unit, and Maruf alias Choto, 23 (both killed in Satkhira). Police claimed Maruf was the member of a Shibir suicide squad. Satkhira police said Kalam, son of Akbar Ali of Kulia village under Debhata in the district, was accused in at least 10 cases, including a murder case. Tarek Biswas, officer-in-charge of Debhata cop shoppe, said cases against him were filed in connection with the violence unleashed in February last year by Jamaat-Shibir after the verdict against Sayeedi. The men were also accused of killing Abu Raihan, organising secretary of Awami League's Debhata upazila unit, who was killed on November 21 last year. Maruf was accused in nine violence related cases, including a murder case. Police placed in durance vile Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! Kalam and Maruf from their village on Saturday around 9pm. Then, after getting the information from the arrestees, police, with the members of other forces, raided different places in Debhata to apprehend their accomplices. The Debhata police officer claimed: "When joint forces along with the accused neared the house of Ziaur Rahman, alias Zia, an Afghanistan war veteran, at Narkeli village around 5:30am, a number of Jamaat-Shibir cordoned them; the mob fired around 50 bullets and hurled 15 bombs at the joint force trying to snatch the arrestees." Then, in self-defence, members of the joint force started firing back, creating a 15-minute-long shootout. The officer added that Kalam and Maruf sustained bullet wounds, and were rushed to Debhata Upazila Health Complex, and then to Sadar Hospital as their condition deteriorated. Doctors declared them dead around 6:50am. He claimed that two constables and one SI sustained minor injuries during the shootout. Shahjahan Khan, officer-in-charge of Kotchandpur cop shoppe, said the Jhenaidah Jamaat leader was accused in a number of cases filed in connection with recent violence staged by the Jamaat-Shibir men in Kotchandpur upazila. Police said he was one of the main people accused of attacking police and snatching their arms, on February 2013, immediately after the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi ...Islamic orator and politician. He was a former Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2008, and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami... to die in a war crimes case. Police said Enamul was also involved in cutting down government trees, blocking roads and torching polling centers during the polls on January 5. The Jhenaidah shootout took place at Nawdagram Secondary School grounds in Kotchandpur upazila. The police officer said, acting on a tip-off, joint forces came to know that some criminals were holding a secret meeting in the dead of night, and went to conduct a raid around 2am. He added: "Sensing our presence, Jamaat-Shibir men fired 10 bullets and hurled three bombs. The forces fired back, creating a 20-minute shootout." Enamul Haque, who was in the meeting, led the attack. He was hit by a bullet, he said. Sub-inspectors Mijanur Rahman, Moktar Hossain, and constable Joydev sustained injuries during the shootout, added the officer. Police recovered a shuttered gun and two bombs from the scene, after the attackers had fled. Kotchandpur upazila ameer of Jamaat, Tajul Islam, said police arrested Haque while he was returning home from his Nirbahi upazila office around 4pm on Saturday.

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Bangladesh

Violence, low turnout mark Bangla polls

2014-01-06

[Bangla New Age] Polling in 147 constituencies for the 10th Jatiya Sangsad on Sunday was marked by death of 18 people in violence, low turnout of voters and stuffing of ballot boxes by ruling party men across the country. A member of Ansars and 17 opposition activists were killed in Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Feni, Munshiganj, Laksmipur, Jessore, NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... re, Chittagong and Gaibandha districts as violent festivities erupted across the country after opposition men tried to foil voting in the 'one-sided' polls. The BNP-led opposition alliance demanded cancellation of Sunday's 'farcical elections' and announced a fresh round of 48-hour general strike beginning at 6:00am today along with the blockade for fresh elections. The ruling Awami League, however, termed Sunday's election as 'victory of the people and democracy'. Candidates in 153 constituencies had already been elected unopposed after the opposition alliance boycotted the polls. Burning down of more than 150 polling stations by opposition activists before polling began at 8:00am Sunday, killing of an assistant presiding officer and snatching of election materials forced the Election Commission to suspend voting in around 400 centres. Turnout of voters was relatively higher in three constituencies in Chittagong Hill Tracts where Awami League candidates had close contests with independent candidates. Mobile phone networks in the three districts were switched off on the polling day. Both the Election Commission and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission said they were not aware of it and not certain who ordered the mobile network off. 'There was no such instruction from the commission,' said election commissioner Mohammad Shahnawaz. Three regional political parties -- Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti, United People's Democratic Front and Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (MN Larma)] -- saw the move as a part of 'election engineering'. In the capital New Age found turnout of voters in different polling stations very low till noon. Dense fog in the morning discouraged voters from turning up at the polling stations in some constituencies. The turnout increased slowly as the day rolled on. By the afternoon people of Awami League candidates began stuffing the ballot boxes in some constituencies. The correspondent in Pabna said Ashique Al Shams Ranjan, son of state minister for home affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, also Awami League candidate for Pabna 1 constituency, had alone snatched and stuffed 899 ballot papers at Paikhati Shahidnagar high school in Bera. As the polling agent of independent candidate Abu Sayeed protested, Ranjan and his cohorts beat him up mercilessly. Senior Awami League leaders were seen stuffing boxes at the Jamia Islamia Madrassah and Orphanage centre at Dakkhin Khan under Dhaka 18 constituency. They were visibly annoyed at the presence of a newsman but polling officials requested the correspondent to stay there until the close of the polling. At the T&T Girls College centre at Mohakhali, Awami League activists stuffed ballot boxes forcing all out of the polling booths in the afternoon. Reports from Dinajpur said an Ansar member and two opposition men were killed and five others injured in three separate incidents of violence in Parbatipur upazila. Ansar constable Abdul Wahed died after Jamaat-Shibir men attacked Bachhirbaniya government primary school centre around 11:00am. Ansar sources said Wahed had died of cardiac arrest after several hundred Jamaat men chased him for a kilometre. Masud Raihan, an activist of Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, died in local hospital after being hit by a bullet in a clash with the police when opposition activists attacked Manmathpur Cooperative High School centre around 12:30pm. Babul Hossain, a leader of Chehelgazi union BNP, was rubbed out by rivals when the opposition men attacked Nashipur primary school centre at about 1:30am. The correspondent in Rangpur said Sirajul Islam Siraj, 24, and Hadiuzzaman Hadi, 25, activists of Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... 's student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... , were killed in police firing after Jamaat-Shibir men attacked Dewti School and College polling centre in Pirgachha and looted ballots and ballot boxes and set fire to the centre under Rangpur 4 constituency around 3:00am. Pirgachha police officer-in-charge Mokbul Hossain said the police were forced to open fire on the attackers that left two dead. Leaders of the upazila unit Jamaat and Shibir declined comments on the incident. The correspondent in Nilphamari reported that two Jamaat-Shibir activists were killed in police firing after they attacked two polling centres in Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas and attempted to torch the centres after looting election materials. Jamaat activist Jahangir Alam,32, a lecturer at Khalisa Chhotokhata Fazil Madrassah at Khalisa Chapani of Dimla, was killed when police opened fire on Jamaat-Shibir men who attacked Beparitala Alim Madrassah centre around 2:30am. Dimla police acting officer-in-charge Azim Uddin said one person was killed in police firing when Jamaat-Shibir attacked the polling centre. Jamaat man Momtaz Uddin,50, a teacher of Barabhita Dakhil Madrassah in Kishoreganj, was killed when police opened fire on Jamaat supporters after they attacked Balapara Kachari Girls High School polling centre in Koimari union under of Jaldhaka at about 10:00am. Jaldhaka police officer-in-charge Moniruzzaman said one person had died in police firing in Koimari after Jamaat-Shibir men attacked a polling centre. In Laksmipur, Shibir activist Mohammad Rubel was killed and two more suffered injuries as police opened fire on opposition activists after they attempted to snatch ballot boxes at Machhimpur High School centre in Ramganj upazila. Ramganj police officer-in-charge Rezaul Karim confirmed the death of Rubel. Juba Dal leader Jamshed Alam was killed in police firing when opposition activists attacked Uttar Char Chandia primary school centre in Sonagazi of Feni around 10:30am. Chhatra Dal leader Shahidullah, who suffered injuries in the same incisent, died at hospital, said Sonagazi police chief Subhash Chandra Pal. Kangkan Mia, 24, joint secretary of Shimulia union unit Chhatra Dal, drowned as he jumped into a ditch after being chased by police in Tongibari of Munshiganj after hurling a petrol bomb at Dakshin Kathadia-Shimulia government primary school centre around 5:50am. The correspondent in Thakurgaon reported that three opposition activists were killed in police firing when opposition men attacked polling stations. Joynal, 30, and Harun, 40, of village Khagrabari were killed in police firing after they attacked Basudevpur Government Primary School polling centre around noon. In another incident BNP activist Abu Hanif died in a clash with Awami League supporters at Gopalpur. The opposition men attacked over 30 polling centres in Thakurgaon1 constituency and clashed with the ruling party activists and law enforcers. At least 50 people, including police, ansar and BNP-Jamaat activists, were maimed during the violence. In Chittagong, Shibir activist Enamul Haque, 26, of Adur Para in Lohagara, was killed when police opened fire on Jamaat men after they tried to snatch ballot boxes from Bhabanipur polling centre at about 3:30pm. BNP activist Babul Hossain died in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital after being hit by a bullet at Ramnagar under Manda in NATOre around 11:00am. Manda police officer-in-charge Abdullahel Baqui said joint forces were forced to open fire after the opposition men attacked them with bows and arrows. Reports from Gaibandha said Jamaat activist Shahabul, 35, was killed and 15 others were maimed after Jamaat supporters clashed with Awami League at Manmath Government Primary School centre in Bamandanga in the afternoon. Gaibandha additional police superintendent Mosharraf Hossain confirmed the death. Jamaat activist Matiar Rahman was rubbed out as joint forces opened fire to disperse attackers at Bajitpur centre in Monirampur of Jessore and 30 more, including three presiding officers, sustained injuries in widespread violence in Monirampur that forced the Election Commission to suspend polling at 47 centres. The correspondent in Lalmanirhat said at least 68 people, include eight police men, two presiding officers and a journalist, were maimed in attacks at different centres by opposition activists. The injured were admitted to Patgram and Hatibandha upazila health complexes, Lalmonirhat General Hospital and Rangpur Medical College Hospital. The attackers also snatched a rifle from police at Hosnabad Community Primary School centre. The correspondent in Jhenaidah said opposition activists had snatched election materials from Dariapur government primary school polling centre in Maheshpur upazila. Police opened fire to control the situation. The attackers also cut the tendons of Mahehspur municipal unit Awami League leader Ali Nur Rahman. In retaliation, the house of Mahehspur municipal unit Jamaat amir Moqbul Hossain was torched. Maheshpur police officer-in-charge Akram Hossain confirmed the incidents.

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Bangladesh

Shibir man killed in Jhenidah cop firing

2013-12-01

[Bangla Daily Star] An activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... , student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... , was killed and five including three law enforcers were maimed when police, after being attacked, opened fire on the opposition men in Kotchandpur upazila of Jhenidah today, on the first day of opposition combine-enforced 72-hour blockade. BNP-led 18-party opposition combine announced a dawn-to-dusk hartal ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ... (shutdown) in Kotchandpur and Moheshpur upazilas for Sunday protesting the killing, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Tajul Islam, secretary of Kotchandpur upazila unit Jamaat. Of the police, Enamul Haque, a sub-inspector of Kotchandpur Police Station, sustained bomb injuries, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Zahid Hossain, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Jhenidah. Mokhtar Hossain, an assistant sub-inspector of the cop shoppe, and Ranju Alam, a constable, sustained wounds as opposition men hurled brick chips on them during the clash, the ASP said. Emdadul Haque, president of Swechchhasebak Dal in the upazila, was also injured in the 30-minute clash. The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance enforced the blockade of rail, roads and waterways from 6:00am today to press for immediate cancellation of the polls schedule and to protest implication of big shots in "false cases", hours after one blockade ended. At least 19 people were killed and scores injured during the opposition alliance-sponsored 71-hour blockade that ended at 5:00am yesterday. The dead victim is identified as Israfil Hossain, 25, son of Shahidul Islam of Harindia village of the upazila. The clash ensued around 9:00am when the activists of BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir brought out a procession near bus stand area in the upazila headquarters. As police resisted them, the opposition men went to the bus stand and vandalised at least four microbuses which were parked there, said the ASP. The marauding party men returned to the spot after carrying out the vandalism and attacked the law enforcers hurling five petrol bombs and brick chips, leaving a sub-inspector injured. In a bid to self-defence, the law enforcers fired bullets from rifles to disperse them, the police official said adding that the Shibir activist sustained injuries during the incident. Assistant Sub-Inspector Mokhtar and Constable Alam sustained brick chips wounds in the clash. The injured SI, Enamul, is now undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex while the two other coppers took first aid. The critically injured Shibir man was taken to Kotchandpur Upazila Health Complex immediately after a bullet hit his neck. The duty doctor declared him dead after his arrival in the health complex, the ASP added. The members of Border Guard Bangladesh and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed in the area following the clash, confirmed the ASP.

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Bangladesh

MP rebukes magistrate, snatches owner of illegal brick kiln from cops

2013-01-21

[Bangla Daily Star] A politician took away an offender from a mobile court in Rajshahi city yesterday after it handed down a sentence. Lawmaker Enamul Haque from Rajshahi-4 constituency (Bagmara) first rebuked the mobile court's magistrate over the phone for convicting Ahsanul Kabir of operating a brick kiln illegally. As the magistrate refused to withdraw the verdict, the MP went to Ahsanul's aid, said Executive Magistrate M Sujauddoula. The mobile court, comprised of officials of the Department of Environment, police and fire service, went to the kiln at Sikdari Kalapara village around 12:00 noon. "We found the kiln was still functioning without any licence," said Sujauddoula. The kiln was fined last year for the same reason. There was also a high court directive following a writ petition to stop its operation. The mobile court sentenced Ahsanul to six months' imprisonment and ordered that the brick kiln be shut down. It doused the kiln's fire with assistance from the Fire Service and Civil Defence. Owner of the kiln, Ahsanul was seated in a minibus guarded by a havildar and seven constables when the politician's motorcade turned up at the site around 4:00pm. The MP asked police to leave the accused with him, said Saidur Rahman, acting officer-in-charge of Bagmara Police Station. Lawmaker Enamul threatened the magistrate of "dire consequences", even though the magistrate repeatedly told him to put up bail for the accused or appeal to a higher court. At one stage, the executive magistrate took shelter at Bagmara Upazila Nirbahi Office as the situation worsened, said witnesses. "This is sad. A politician should not behave like this," M Sujauddoula told The Daily Star. The politician's mobile phone was found switched off around 6:00pm. The phone was switched on an hour later when his assistant personal secretary received the call and said Enamul was in a meeting. Around 8:00pm, the APS said Enamul was playing badminton, adding that the politician had not snatched the accused from the court. None of the calls made by this correspondent were answered since then.

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Bangladesh

Cops found 'guilty'

2011-09-09

[Bangla Daily Star] A judicial probe committee has found that the six students, killed in a mob beating in Aminbazar in July this year, were innocent and not robbers, while police on duty at the spot were negligent in saving their lives, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The committee, formed by a High Court directive, submitted a 200-page sealed report to the Supreme Court registrar yesterday for placing it to the HC bench concerned, but the sources The Daily Star talked to have knowledge of the main finding. Advocate Tajul Islam, whose writ petition sparked the investigation, said he was informed by knowledgeable sources that the probe also found involvement of a few coppers in the killing. The six students were beaten to death by several hundred villagers at Keblar Char in Aminbazar near the capital on July 18 when they went there to enjoy the night of holy Shab-e Barat. The slain students were Tipu Sultan of Tejgaon College; Towhidur Rahman Palash, Kamruzzaman Kanto and Ibrahim Khalil of Mirpur Bangla College; Shams Rahim Shamam of Maple Leaf International School; and Sitaf Jabi Munif of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology. The sources said the probe report states that the villagers beat the students to death on suspicion that they were robbers, and police on duty there did not try to stop the villagers. Tajul said the report also found that Al Amin, the only living victim of the beating, had pleaded with police to allow him to talk to his parents over the cellphone, but police did not allow him, instead they treated the already severely maimed young man roughly. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) of Dhaka AKM Enamul Haque and Metropolitan Magistrate Utpal Chowdhury submitted the report to SC Registrar AKM Shamsul Haque yesterday morning. More details of the report could not be known instantly since the SC registrar and the magistrates did not disclose the contents of the sealed document to the media. The sources, however, said the committee did not make any recommendation in the report. CMM Enamul Haque on August 10 formed a one-member judicial committee with Utpal Chowdhury to investigate the tragic incident. Earlier on August 3, in response to the writ petition filed by Tajul Islam on behalf of the National Forum for Protection of Human Rights (NFPHR), the HC asked the CMM to form a committee with a magistrate to investigate the incident. Utpal Chowdhury said he recorded statements of 54 people including 11 police personnel, family members of the six slain students, and the sole living victim Al Amin during the investigation, and took one month to write the report. "I feel the real picture of the incident have been rightly presented in the investigation report," he said. He declined to disclose the findings and observations of the report, terming it a sub-judice matter. SC Registrar Shamsul Haque last evening said he received the sealed report, and had yet to open it. "We will place the report to the chief justice next week for his approval to place it before the High Court bench concerned," he said. Tajul Islam, who is also the secretary general of NFPHR, said they did not get a copy of the report yet. He also said the HC will hear the writ petition for further order on the issue after the court reopens in the second week of October on completion of its ongoing autumn vacation. Two other committees were formed by the Police Headquarters and the Criminal Investigation Department in July to investigate the incident, but none of those could complete the task till date. Family members of the victims said yesterday evening that they saw television reports claiming the probe report found the victims innocent. They said the probe finding is now their only consolation. Abdul Kader, father of Kanto, and Al Amin's father Khabir Bapari said they feel relieved as their sons will now be cleared of the fake allegation of attempted robbery. They demanded arrest and punishment of those who killed the innocent students, and who tried to mislead the case to save the killers.

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Bangladesh

Rab arrests 3 suspects of acid attack

2010-12-25

[Bangla Daily Star] Rapid Action Battalion picked up three teenagers from Hazaribagh area of the capital on Thursday night on charge of throwing acid the night before on Jatra actress Parul Akhter Keya and her two siblings. The arrestees are Nurunnabi, Ramjan Hossain, and Robin Hossain, all of whom are 18 years old. Quoting the detainees, Shaikat Shahin, assistant superintended of police (ASP) deputed to Rab-2, said a group of five local goons led by Arman threw acid on the victims after Parul turned down Arman's unwelcome amorous advances. Talking to The Daily Star, Shaikat said Arman had been making unwelcome advances to Parul after he saw her in a Jatra at Companyghat of Hazaribagh. "The arrestees confessed to the crime, during primary interrogation," Shaikat added. Parul however claimed that she does not know anybody named Arman, and none stalked her at Companyghat since the shows of the Jatra had begun there. "I want punishment for those who destroyed our lives," she told The Daily Star. On Wednesday night, unidentified persons threw acid on Parul, 22, her sister Parveen Begum, 38, and their brother Mohammad Selim, 25. They were admitted to Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Parul suffered burn injuries on 12 percent of the body, hospital sources said. Her face, neck, chest and right hand were severely burned. Ten percent of Parveen's body was burned by acid, while their brother's condition is slightly better. DMCH Burn Unit Project Director Samanta Lal Sen said treatment of the sisters will take a long time, and they might require plastic surgery. The cost of treatment is coming from a Burn Unit fund for acid attack victims. Parul sees a bleak future of her career following the attack, as she might not be able to continue as a professional actress with her face burned. Her mother, sister, and two nephews are financially dependent on her. Parveen told The Daily Star that Parul might have made some unknown enemies working as an actress. A case was filed with Hazaribagh Police Station in this connection on Thursday. Officer-in-charge Enamul Haque of the cop shoppe said they are interrogating the detainees and trying to find out the prime culprit.

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Bangladesh

Babar now accused in Chittagong arms haul

2010-10-04

Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar has been accused and shown jugged in cases linked to the country's largest ever arms haul in Chittagong on April 2, 2004. The investigation officer (IO) of the two cases filed in connection with the seizure of ten truckloads of arms and ammunition yesterday submitted a 10-day remand prayer for Babar to the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Chittagong. Metropolitan Magistrate Fazlul Bari passed the order for showing Babar in the cases following a prayer from IO Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, senior ASP of Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The court also fixed October 13 to hear the remand prayer and ordered to produce the former BNP minister before it during hearing. Chittagong Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Kamal Uddin told The Daily Star the IO made the appeal to arrest Babar after getting information of his involvement in the arms haul. He said a former commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) and three members of the five-member probe committee, formed by the then BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government, gave a clear picture of Babar's involvement. "He [Babar] tried to hide the real incident and save the NSI officials who were involved in different ways. He also influenced the investigators to hide their [NSI officials'] involvement," Kamal said. "He knew everything and everything happened within his knowledge," the PP added. Police and coastguards found submachine-guns, AK-47 rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets stuffed in around 1,500 wooden boxes during unloading those from two vessels at Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) jetty. The seized arms and ammunition were taken to the warehouse at Dampara Police Lines in Chittagong in 10 trucks guarded by a huge contingent of police, coastguards and paramilitary BDR. Babar, the then state minister for home, flew to Chittagong by helicopter on April 3 and said the weapons were smuggled in as part of conspiracy for subversion. He also did not rule out any link to the April 30 deadline of the then main opposition Awami League for the fall of the government. After 140 days of this largest arms haul, the August 21 grenade attack was carried out on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue to assassinate the then leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina. Babar was also accused in the grisly grenade attack case on October 26 last year. Earlier on April 03, 2004, two cases were filed with Karnaphuli police under section-25/B of the Special Powers Act for arms smuggling and section-19 (ka) of the Arms Act. The arrest of Babar became almost certain since three probe committee members — the then DIG (Special Branch) Shamsul Islam, former DIG (CID) Farrukh Ahmed and former NSI Director Brig Gen Enamur Rahman — and the then CMP commissioner SM Sabbir Ali have recently implicated Babar and then home secretary Omar Faruk in the offence in their confessional statement under section 164. The other members of the probe committee were the then DGFI director Brig Gen Rezzaqul Haider Chowdhury and former home secretary Omar Faruk, chief of the body. Sabbir Ali on September 30 told a magistrate's court that Babar had ordered not to arrest the NSI officials engaged to help offloading the weapons at the CUFL jetty or not to do or say anything anywhere regarding their involvement. The then home secretary Omar Faruk dropped names of three NSI officials including the then NSI DG Brig Gen Abdur Rahim from the probe report, Sabbir said. Enamur Rahman in his statement said they had suggested mentioning involvement of the NSI officials with the smuggling and offloading of the arms, but the committee chief turned it down. Farrukh Ahmed implicated Babar along with Faruk for diverting the incident and said everything was done at the diktat of Babar. The Court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge (acting) Inamul Haque Bhuiyan on September 26 extended time for further investigation into the much-talked-about arms haul by another 60 days till November 24 this year. This was the 10th time extension for further investigation into the cases. During the immediate past caretaker government rule a Chittagong court on February 12, 2008 ordered for further investigation following an appeal made by then metropolitan PP Ahsanul Hoque Hena. The investigation that followed had a major development when prime accused Hafizur Rahman gave his confessional statement on March 02 last year indicating involvement of NSI and DGFI officials. Hafiz's statement led to the arrests of then DGFI director Maj Gen (retd) Rezzaqul Haider, NSI DG Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, NSI director Wing Commander (retd) Sahab Uddin, deputy director Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain and field officer Akbar Hossain, CUFL managing director Mohsin Talukder and general manager (admin) Enamul Haque. Investigators during further investigation in the last 32 months interrogated around 80 people including the members of the committee to probe the incident.

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Bangladesh

'71 killing case against Nizami, Mojahid sent to crimes tribunal

2010-07-23

The mills of God grind slowly in Bangladesh (unless the Rab is involved), but they grind exceeding small. A Dhaka court yesterday sent to the International Crimes Tribunal a case filed against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, its secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and seven others for killing freedom fighters in 1971. Senior Judicial Magistrate Taibul Hassan passed the order after Officer-in-Charge of Keraniganj police station Mohammad Asaduzzaman, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted a petition before it seeking an order to transfer the case to the International Crimes Tribunal. Other accused are two assistant secretaries general of Jamaat Mohammad Abdul Quader Molla and Muhammad Quamruzzaman, Keraniganj upazila unit Amir Haji Nazim Uddin, Islami Chhatra Sangha leader KG Karim Babla, and Abul Kashem, Foyzur Rahman Foyaz and Yasin. The last three were Al-badr, Razakar and Al-shams activists during the war. Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka AKM Enamul Haque sent another case to the International Crimes Tribunal filed with Pallabi police station for killing 345 people during the country's Liberation War in 1971. On December 17 of 2008, Mozaffar Ahmad Khan, Dhaka District Muktijoddha Unit commander, filed the case with Keraniganj police station accusing Nizami, Mojahid and seven others for killing his nephew and one of his comrades on November 25, 1971. In yesterday's petition, Asaduzzaman said, the case is now treatable under the International Crimes Tribunal as it was filed for killing freedom fighters and other people during the Liberation War in 1971. So, the case should be transferred to the tribunal for its next course of action. The complainant said on November 25 of 1971, the accused hacked Osman Gani and Golam Mostafa to death when they went to their houses to meet their parents and relatives. PALLABI CASE On January 25 of 2008, Mohammad Amir Hossain Mollah, a wounded FF and resident of Pallabi's Duaripara, filed the case with Pallabi police station accusing Nizami, Mojahid, five of their party men and three non-Bangalees for the massacre of 345 people during the Liberation War. The other accused Quader Molla, Kamaruzzaman, Jamaat central leader and former Islami Chhatra Sangha president Sardar Abdul Salam and activist Khawza Ashim (now deceased), and Akhter 'Gunda', Newaz and Doma (non-Bangalees who later fled to Pakistan). The complainant stated that the Jamaat men killed them in city's Mirpur area. The victims included 21 of his relatives, one colleague, 43 Mirpur residents and 280 others from different areas of the country on April 24 and December 18 in 1971.

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Bangladesh

City cop found dead in Tangail

2010-05-05

[Bangla Daily Star] Three people including an assistant sub-inspector of Ramna Police Station were killed by unidentified assailants in three separate incidents yesterday. The identity of the two other victims could not be known immediately. Mirzapur police recovered the body of Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Shah Mizanur Rahman, 35, of Nayatola Outpost under Ramna Police Station at about 7:30am from near Dhaka-Tangail Highway, some 50 kilometers off his working place, said our Tangail correspondent. Police said the body was sent to Tangail General Hospital for autopsy. In a span of 14 days two Dhaka Metropolitan Police officials were killed. On April 20, sub-inspector Gautam Roy, also the second officer of Bangshal Police Station, was gunned down at Dholaikhal on way to his residence from the police station. Constable Mohammad Suruzzaman of Nayatola Outpost said ASI Mizanur returned to the outpost from his foot patrol duty around 4:15am. He went to the washroom and then left around 4:45am leaving his uniform, service arms and walkie-talkie. Sub-inspector Enamul Haque, also the in-charge of the outpost, said Mizanur along with two constables -- Zahir and Lal Mian -- went out for foot patrol duty at 10:00pm on Monday and returned to the outpost around 4:15am. Yesterday around 10:00am a DMP official informed him that Mizanur's body was found at Charpara of Mirzapur in Tangail. Constable Zahir who accompanied Mizanur said they were on duty on the DIT Road, Malibagh Rail Gate, Mirbagh, Madhubagh and surrounding areas on Monday night. When they reached in front of Abul Hotel at Malibagh around 4:00am, Mizanur told them that he would have to respond to the call of nature and he immediately left for the out post, he added. Deputy Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy of Ramna Zone of DMP said they had formed a one-member investigating committee with Assistant Commissioner Mona Lisa of Ramna Model Police station. The committee was asked to submit its report as early as possible. ASI Mizanur had a baby girl just seven days back. He comes from Mirujpur village of Madhupur in Tangail. He lived at his Nakhalpara house in the capital. Meanwhile Adabar police recovered the body of an unidentified man from inside a plastic drum from in front of an inter-district bus counter of AK Travels in Shyamoli area in the city. The victim appeared to be 50 years old and was wearing white shirt and a pair of black pants. The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy. DMCH morgue sources said the man was strangled. Shimul Sarder, a peon of AK Travels, said that he spotted a blue coloured plastic drum capped with steel plate around 10pm Monday on one side of the counter. As passengers left the counter at 12 o' clock at night and the drum was still there one of the employees of the bus counter opened it around 12:30am and found the body. They informed the police of the matter immediately. Adabar Police Station Sub-inspector Sagir Uddin said counter manager Ibrahim filed a murder case with the police station yesterday. Counter sources said as no bus entered the counter after 10pm Monday it was believed that the drum was not unloaded from any bus. Someone might have left it there. In another incident police rescued a wounded man aged about 22 years from Uttar Shahjahanpur at 5:00am yesterday. Police took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he died at 7:00am. The victim was wearing a pair of khaki pants. Motijheel Police Station Officer-in-charge (OC) Tofazzal Hossain quoting local people said unidentified miscreants brought the body by a rickshaw and quickly fled the scene after dumping him there. The OC suspects that the victim might have been a security guard or a member of community police. Miscreants might have killed him in a bid to destroy evidence of their crime, he said. A post mortem on the body was carried out at DMCH morgue. Morgue sources said the youth was beaten to death.

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