Leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir have been regrouping to conduct massive destruction across the country, Chittagong police said yesterday, following the arrest of a central leader of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, along with two other local leaders.
To topple the government, Shibir has planned to carry out criminal activities as in 2013, when Jamaat-Shibir men conducted attacks on police, pro-government activists, and ordinary people, killing dozens, centred on the delivery of the war crimes case verdict against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, police said.
The Shibir high-command has allegedly instructed its leaders to visit different districts and units with a view to bridge the gap with root-level activists and fortify the ongoing anti-government movement.
“Shibir Central Executive Committee Member Enamul Kabir came to Chittagong on February 12 with a written message, from its president Abdul Jabbar for city (north) unit President Nurul Amin,” Kotwali circle Assistant Commissioner Shah Muhammad Abdur Rouf said to reporters yesterday.
Acting on a tip-off, police conducted a drive in Bogar Beel area of Bakulia police station around 10pm on Friday, and nabbed Enamul and city unit leaders Mushfique Abrar and Golam Mostafa while they were holding a secret meeting, he said.
The letter says the coordination among leaders and activists during the movement is so poor the government cannot be removed with this strength.
Therefore, Chittagong’s root-level leaders and activists have been instructed to stay united under the leadership of former Jamaat lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury.
The Shibir high-command has also instructed its Chittagong unit leaders to join hands with the 20-party alliance organisations, especially Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the BNP’s student wing.
During the preliminary interrogation, Enamul said they planned to carry out massive sabotage acts, the kind which had been seen soon after Sayedee’s verdict.
“This time they planned to conduct subversive acts at major fuel stations and other key point installations of the port city to cause major loss to the state,” Rouf said to reporters.
“If they succeed, Shibir believes the government will be compelled to step down under the pressure of the world media,” he added.
Quoting Enamul, he said Shibir had plans to spread rumours amongst the public to shift responsibility for the acts.
Enamul said after his arrival in Chittagong, he had already met several times with top local Jamaat-Shibir leaders.
“Since he arrived in the port city, subversive activities have increased remarkably,” Rouf said.
Enamul and the two others were shown arrested in a case filed with Kotwali police over arson, blast, and vandalism on February 16.
Producing him before a court, police yesterday sought 10-day remand for Enamul for questioning in the case.