A Chattogram court on Tuesday sentenced a former commander of banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to 20 years imprisonment in two cases filed over the Explosives Substances Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act. The convict was Ershad Hossain alias Mamun, son of Riazul Islam of Dinajpur district. Judge of the Chattogram Additional Session Judge Court-4, Shariful Alam Bhuiya announced the verdict. The court also fined him Tk 20,000 and if he failed to pay the money he will be jailed for one year more. According to the prosecution, police arrested Ershad from a house in Akbar Shah area and seized some explosives, bomb making materials and some books from his possession on March 23, 2015. Sub-inspector of Akbar Shah Police Station, Shahidur Rahman filed two separate cases against him under the Explosives Substance Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act. On April 8, 2016, police submitted chargesheets against him in the two cases. The court also acquitted three persons—Bulbul Ahmed Sarkar alias Fuad, 26, Md Sujon, 24 and Mahabubur Rahman alias Khokon, 35—as allegations brought against them could not be proved.      

Arrested council (Shura) member and head of the armed wing of a new militant group, Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, met JMB militants while in jail on robbery charges and became a top leader of the new group after he was released. Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of Rab’s legal and media wing, revealed the information while briefing the media today over the arrest of two members of the new militant group yesterday from a Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar. He said Rab interrogated Masukur Rahman alias Ronobir alias Masud and Bashar after arresting them yesterday and got some important tip-offs. Ronobir’s associate, Bashar, is a bomb-making expert. Ronobir used to work at a post office. He also led an armed robbery gang and got arrested. “During his time in prison, he met the leaders and activists of JMB and decided to join forces with them,” said the Rab officer. Also Read: 2 ‘militants’ arrested from Kutupalong Rohingya camp after 'gunfight’, Rab says He continued to visit JMB members in jail after his release. He had contact with their families too, he added. In 2017, he met Rakib, a Shura member and later head of Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya’s finance and media wing, and became a founding member. Members of Rab yesterday (January 23, 2023) arrested Ronobir and Bashar after a gunfight at Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar. Rab arrested the duo along with arms and explosives from a den in the camp following the gunfight.  

A Lalmonirhat tribunal on Monday sentenced three members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to life imprisonment and another one to 14 years imprisonment in an arms case. Lalmonirhat Special Tribunal Judge Mizanur Rahman handed down the punishment. The lifers are identified as Shafiqul Islam, son of Nazrul islam, Apel Misti, son of Lutfur Rahman and Mokhlesur Rahman, son of Hafizur Rahman of Kaliganj upazila. Read more: 2 militants who escaped from Dhaka court will be arrested any time soon: DB Chief The man who got 14 years in jail is identified as Tafizul Islam, son of Mojibur Rahman of Patgram upazila. According to the prosecution, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-13 arrested four JMB men while they were holding a clandestine meeting on August 2, 2018. The elite force also seized arms and bullets from their possession. Read more: Fugitive JMB member held in Gazipur A case was filed under Arms Act against them.   END/UNB/Corr/MAS/ssk      

India has banned the Popular Front of India (PFI), a controversial Muslim outfit, for five years, citing its alleged links with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) among other terror groups.  The five-year ban against the PFI, its student wing Campus Front of India, and other frontal organisations comes after a week of intense crackdown against the controversial Muslim group that saw the arrests of over 250 people linked to the outfit, following pan-India raids by the country's anti-terror National Investigation Agency. Read: India cites “hate speech” for wanting to block 45 YouTube videos In its order, the Indian Home Ministry has declared the PFI as an "unlawful association" that is "prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country" because of its alleged links with banned domestic and foreign terror outfits like the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), JMB, and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). "The PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts operate openly as a socio-economic, educational and political organisation but they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalise a particular section of the society working towards undermining the concept of democracy," the Ministry has said in a statement. With funds and ideological support from outside, it has become a major threat to the internal security of the country, according to the Ministry. "Several criminal activities and brutal murders have been committed by PFI members over the past to create reign of terror in public mind." Read: India to hand over PK Halder to Bangladesh? Terming the ban "undemocratic" and "unconstitutional", the PFI has vowed to approach India's Supreme Court. The 2006-registered PFI describes itself "as a non-governmental social organisation whose stated objective is to work for the poor and disadvantaged people in the country and to oppose oppression and exploitation".

An operational team of Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), a specialized unit of Bangladesh Police, arrested a fugitive death row convict, a member of banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), from Nazipur area under Patnitla police station in Naogaon district. The arrestee was identified as Md Sanwar Hossain aka Rauf, 44, son of late Ershad Ali of village Chhoto Chandpur of Nazipur under Patnitla police station in Naogaon district. Also read: JMB man gets 5 yrs imprisonment in Chattogram An operational team of the ATU came to know that Sanwar was hiding under the name of Abdullah in Chhota Chandpur area. Sanwar used to work as a mason as well as raising sheep there. Based on the secret information, the ATU team conducted a raid at the village Chhoto Chandpur area on Saturday evening, and arrested Sanwar Hossain, a member of the Isaba Group (Military Wing), said Mohammad Aslam Khan, SP (Media & Awareness wing of the ATU). Arrested Md. Sanwar Hossain became a member of the banned JMB after 2000 under the leadership of Shaikh Abdur Rahman. At that time, he was working as a homeopathic doctor and head of JMB in Nachol and Gomstapur, he said. When Shaikh Abdur Rahman was hanged in Comilla Central Jail on March 29, 2007, Maulana Saidur Rahman became the Amir of the militant group. They later continued their activities amid their internal-conflict. Later, the self-proclaimed Amir of the JMB Salman was called to Khulshi Boria Ambagan area under Nachol police station where he was killed. According to the information given by the arrested A. Shakur alias Shakur and Jahangir, Salman's decapitated head was recovered from the bank of the river Mahananda, said the SP (media & Awareness) wing of the ATU Aslam Khan. Also read:2 suspected JMB militants held in Nilphamari Arrested Sanwar Hossain had been working secretly for 10 years to activate the old JMB in different areas of Chapainawabganj and Naogaon. Two arrest warrants under anti-terrorism Act (death-convicted) were pending at Nachol police station in Chapainawabganj. Moreover, he was accused in another case filed with Gomstapur police station of Chapainawabganj. It may be mentioned that on November 25, 2019, the Additional District and Sessions Judge of Chapainawabganj district sentenced three people, including arrested Sanwar, to death in the Salman murder case.

Members of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested two suspected members of banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from Sadar upazila of Nilphamari. The arrestees were identified as Md Anwar Hossain alias Apel, 26, and Md Hafizul Islam, 30, both of Nilphamari district. According to a media release from Bangladesh Police, an ATU team, tipped-off, made the arrest after conducting separate drives at Sutipara village and Uttara EPZ area of the district on Monday. READ: Suspected JMB militant held in capital During the drive, two mobile sets, three SIM cards, books on extremism and several leaflets were recovered from their possession, said the release. A case was filed at Nilphamari Sadar police station against the arrestees, it added.

The judgment in the murder case of ex-Dhaka University teacher and writer Prof Humayun Azad will be delivered on April 13. Dhaka’s Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge fixed the date on Sunday. On February 27 in 2004, Prof Humayun Azad sustained severe injuries when some miscreants hacked him indiscriminately at Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Bangla Academy premises. Read:Shahjahanpur double murder: Main accused held The following day, Humayun Azad's brother Manjur Kabir filed a case of attempted murder at Ramna police station. After the attack, he was undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka for 22 days and at Bangkok for 48 days. He was shifted to Germany the same year where he died on August 12. The case later turned into a murder case with his death. On November 14 in 2007, Kazi Abdul Malek, inspector of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted chargesheet against five militants including the Chief of banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Shaykh Abdur Rahman. However, on March 30 of the same year, Shaykh Abdur Rahman and Ataur Rahman were hanged in another murder case of two judges in Jhalokati. After reinvestigating, CID inspector Lutfar Rahman, the main investigating officer in the case, pressed charges against the five accused on April 30 in 2012. Read:https://www.unb.com.bd/category/bangladesh/shahjahanpur-double-murder-main-accused-held/89995 The accused in the case are Mizanur Rahman alias Minhaz alias Shafiq, Anwar Alam alias Bhagne Shahid, Salehin alias Salahuddin, Hafiz Mahmud and Nur Mohammad alias Sabu. Among them, accused Nur Mohammad alias Sabu is absconding. Meanwhile, two accused Salahuddin alias Salehin and Rakibul Hasan alias Hafiz Mahmud were snatched from a prison van on February 23 in 2014. However, Rakib was caught that night and later died in a 'gunfight' with the police.

A Khulna Court on Monday sentenced a member of banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to 20 years imprisonment in a case filed under the Explosive Substances Act. The convict is Ziaur Rahman alias Sagar alias Sabbir, Khulna divisional chief of JMB. Read: JMB man gets life term jail for 2005 bomb blasts Khulna Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Ashikur Rahman handed down the verdict. The court also fined him Tk 20,000, in default, to suffer six months more rigorous imprisonment, said Lawyer Kazi Sabbir Ahmed of the court. According to the case, members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Ziaur Rahman from Miapara of Khulna on December 29 in 2005. During the interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in militant activities. Based on his information, a large quantity of explosives was recovered from a room of a hostel at Daulatpur in Jashore. Read: Bomb blast at Ctg traffic police box: JMB leader Selim held Later, on December 30 of the year, a case was filed at Daulatpur Police Station under the Explosive Substances Act. On January 19, 2006, Jahedul Haque Sarkar, sub-inspector (SI) of Daulatpur Police Station, submitted a chargesheet against him.

A Chuadanga court on Tuesday sentenced a member of banned militnat outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)  to life term imprsionement in a case filed over 2005 series bomb blasts. Chuadanga Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 acting Judge Lutfor Rahman Shishir pronounced the judgment  in presence of the accused. The lifer is Saikhul Islam alias Rakib,35, son of Giasuddin of  Panchakaran village in Bagerhat. The court passed the order after examining  statements of 18 witnesses in the case, said Public Prosecutor advocate Giashuddin. READ: After suicide bombing, Congo officials fear more attacks On August 17, 2005, some JMB militants exploded bombs at the court premises and old jail area in Chuadanga city. Abdul Motaleb, then Sub-Inspector of Chuadanga sadar police station,  filed a case under the Explosive Substances Act over the incident. READ: Suicide bomber attacks bar in eastern Congo, killing 6 On August 27, 2006 police arrested Shaikhul Islam.  

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested four suspected members of banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) early on Saturday morning. The identities of the arrestees are yet to be revealed. A cache of arms and explosives has been seized from their possession. Wing Commander Rokunuzzaman, commanding officer of Rab-14, said acting on intelligence inputs, a team of RAB-14 raided Khagdahar in Mymensingh district. Read:JMB member executed in Gazipur jail Sensing the presence of the elite force, the JMB men opened fire on RAB, prompting the personnel them to retaliate.  Read:JMB member Abdur Rahman arrested in Savar "However, the RAB men managed to overpower and arrest the militants after the brief exchange of fire," the officer said.