The law enforcers are looking for Abdullah Asad, the kingpin of Bangladesh Jihadi Group – a platform that hosts members of banned militant organisations with an aim to grab power and establish Islamic law in the country.
Detectives came to know about his activities after the arrest of nine members of the group including their spiritual leader, Maulana Nurullah Kashemi, on Sunday.
The arrest of Asad, a lawyer by profession, might solve many unknown issues regarding the recent militant activities in the country. Police are trying to trace him from information given by the accomplices during interrogation.
Asad’s right hand Kashemi had served as resident preacher at a mosque while staying in Kuwait. Returning home recently, he opened a branch of Al-Azhar University of Egypt. But failing to make profit from the business, he shut it down. He later started writing Islamic books and giving sermons at different religious functions.
Detectives, however, could not confirm location of the branch and the time when Kashemi returned to Bangladesh.
During his bad times, Kashemi contacted a number of people to do something significant for Islam, but none supported him. Then he met Asad, who took him to Kashimpur High Security Jail to meet with Harkat-ul Jihad Al Islami Bangladesh (HujiB) chief Maulana Abdur Rouf.
Kashemi shared his thoughts with Rouf and soon built a good relation with him. Later, Rouf directed all of his associates to give Kashemi all kind of supports. Soon afterwards, Kashemi’s lifestyle changed.
He started raising a team inviting members of the banned militant outfits while also got money from unknown sources.
According to the detectives, Kashemi used to meet with Rouf in jail as a regular visitor and take different things including clothes for the HujiB chief.
After meeting with Rouf, Kashemi and Asad set up Bangladesh Jihadi Group with some members that also include Kashemi’s son and trained them up. Three of the eight other arrestees previously worked with banned Islamist group Ansarullah Bangla Team.
They were working to raise fund for the group’s operations through bank robbery, hacking e-banking system and forging credit and debit cards.
Detectives say primarily they aimed at killing secular writer Avijit Roy, Shahjalal University teacher Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal and Gonojagoron Moncho Spokesperson Imran H Sarker. However, before they launched the operation, Avijit was killed by others, suspected to be members of Ansarullah.
Members of the group were given a sum of money every month as honorarium.
Kashemi’s son Fahad Bin Nurullah, a bomb expert, used to collect members for their group through online campaigns. For doing this, Asad used to pay him Tk3,000 as monthly allowance.