United News of Bangladesh

Baitul Mukarram to Paltan and Bijoynagar turned into a battlefield after jumma’ prayers on Friday due to a chase and counter-chase between law enforcers and activists of the banned outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir. Police had to fire sound grenades and teargas shells to bring the situation under control. Three members of banned Hizb ut-Tahrir held in Uttara:Police Police and witnesses said the incident broke out when Hizb ut-Tahrir members brought out a procession from the south gate of Baitul Mukarram after the jumma’ prayers. Earlier, defying a warning from Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the banned organisation brought out a procession chanting, “The only path to liberation—Khilafah, Khilafah.” A few days ago, Hizb ut-Tahrir had announced a “March for Khilafah” at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram. Two Hizb ut-Tahrir men arrested from Dhaka’s Turag: Authorities In preparation, the group put up posters at various locations, including Dhaka University, and distributed leaflets in different areas.

DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit arrested three operatives of the banned outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir from Uttara of the capital early Friday. The arrestees are Monirul Islam, 40, Mohtasin Billah, 40, and Mahmudul Hasan, 21. Md Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said the three were arrested from sectors 11 and 12 under Uttara Paschim police station after conducting the drive since 12:15am. A CTTC team launched the operation after being tipped-off that several Hizb ut-Tahrir men were secretly planning to organise a gathering titled ‘March for Khilafah at Baitul Mukarram Mosque, he said. Two Hizb ut-Tahrir men arrested from Dhaka’s Turag: Authorities Later, the operatives were arrested and police seized some documents of the organisation from them, he said. A case was filed against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act with the relevant police station, Talebur said. During the primary interrogation, the arrestees admitted that they were active members of the organisation, the deputy commissioner added.

The Facebook post claiming Mahfuj Alam, the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, as a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, is not true, said Chief Adviser's press wing. The post carried a screenshot of an article published by the English daily, The Business Standard, which referred to a man, namely Abdullah Al Mahfuz, as an alleged member of Hizb ut-Tahrir. The accused Abdullah Al Mahfuz and Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam are two different persons, said the press wing through its fact-checking Facebook page. The fact-checking unit of the daily Ajker Patrika cleared the matter in a report also. Mahfuj Alam has been a key member of the student movement, which led to the mass uprising against Sheikh Hasina's "dictatorship". He has said in a post that he was never a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir or any other outlawed or Islamist groups.

The interim government has no plan to lift the prevailing bans on extremist groups Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team, according to the Chief Adviser's (CA) Press Wing. The clarification comes in response to a social media post by exiled writer Taslima Nasreen, who alleged that the interim government had lifted the ban on these groups. “Recently, Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen posted on Twitter, asserting that the interim government had lifted the ban on two specific groups. Her claim is not correct. The Bangladesh government has no intention of lifting the ban on these groups, which have been prohibited for decades, along with other extremist organizations,” Chief Adviser's Press Wing added. The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has upheld a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of extremism in the country.

A team of the police's Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) has arrested a fugitive convicted member of the banned militant group Hizb ut-Tahrir from Dhaka's Natun Bazar area of Vatara thana on early Friday. The arrestee was identified as Tamiz Ahmed Sabuj, 32, son of Shahjahan Hawladar, a resident of Taltoli thana of Barguna district. He has been absconding for the past 7 years in different parts of the country. A press release of Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) said that Tamiz was actively involved in anti-state activities through creating intimidation and instability in order to establish ‘Islamic Khilafat’ in Bangladesh. In 2014, Anti-Terrorism Unit arrested the convict while he was distributing banned militant group Hizb ut-Tahrir’s leaflets. But he jumped bail and remained a fugitive for 7 years. He was conducting various anti-state and extremist activities for a long time. Legal processes are underway against the arrestee, said the press release.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have arrested a convicted member of the banned militant group Hizb ut-Tahrir from Dhaka's Jatrabari area. The arrestee was identified as Tauhidur Rahman Tauhid, 32, an active member of the ‘Dawah’ and finance department of the militant group. He was sentenced to two years' rigorous imprisonment by an Anti-Terrorism Tribunal. Read more: 12 militants, 14 KNF members arrested so far in anti-militancy drive in Bandarban: RAB Tipped off, a special team of Rab-2 conducted a drive in Dhaka's Jatrabari on Saturday and arrested Tauhid, Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Md Fazlul Haque, senior additional director (Media) of Rab-2, said. Tauhid was indicted in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at the capital's Hazaribagh Police Station. He has been absconding for the past 11 years and continued his involvement with the militant group, said the Rab official. According to the Rab official, Tauhid was actively involved in anti-state activities -- holding meetings to conspire against the government and distributing leaflets and posters of Hizb ut-Tahrir to encourage madrasa and school students to be engaged in militancy. Read more: 3 ‘members of new militant outfit’ held with arms, explosives in Bandarban Efforts are on to nab his associates based on his information. Legal processes are underway against the arrestee, said the Rab officer.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have arrested a member of banned militant outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir from Kamrangirchar of the capital. The arrestee is Nafiz Salam Uday, 45, a resident of city’s Adabor area. He is an active member of ‘Dawat’ and finance department of banned militant outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir. Read more: ​​​​​​​Rab DG calls escape of two militants a 'failure' Tipped off, a special team of the Anti-Terrorism Cell of Rab-2  conducted a drive at  Kamrangirchar on Sunday noon and arrested Nafiz, said Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Md Fazlul Haque, senior additional director (Media) of Rab-2. There are three cases against him at Mohammadpur and Adabar police stations and a police assault case at Mohammadpur police station. An arrest warrant was also issued by Anti-Terrorism Tribunal against the arrestee. He remained fugitive for eight years. Read more: Militants’ escape: 10 Ansar-al-Islam members put on another 5-day remand He used to distribute anti-state leaflets and invite people  to various mosques after keeping contact with the Ameer of the Bangladesh branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir and other group leaders, he added. Legal steps will be taken against the arrestee, said the officer. “Besides, efforts are on to arrest the other members of Hizb ut-Tahrir according to Nafiz’s information,” he added.

The Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU), a specialized unit of Bangladesh Police, arrested a suspected member of banned militant outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir from Bhatara area in the city on Wednesday night.