Police: New militant recruits killed RU Prof Rezaul Karim

Rajshahi University teacher Prof Dr AKM Rezaul Karim Siddique was an easy target for the fresh members of New JMB militant group who wanted to show their high-command their ability, investigators have said. A total of seven militants, who were told that Prof Rezaul was an atheist, directly took part in the machete attack near his house in Rajshahi city on April 23. Some of them were unaware of the fact that the music enthusiast teacher used to donate to a madrasa and a mosque at his village home in Baghmara area of the district. Prof Rezaul was chosen as he was an easy target, a highly-placed source in Rajshahi police who is close to the investigation of the sensational murder also claimed by Islamic State, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Besides teaching English at the university dominated by radical Jamaat-Shibir, Prof Rezaul was the editor of literary magazine “Komolgandhar” and adviser to a cultural organisation named “Shundorom.” He also set up a music school in Shalbagan area and wanted to start another at his village home but was facing resistance from some local radical Islamists. Police say the disgruntled members of Islami Chhatra Shibir’s RU unit have joined several militant groups, mainly New JMB and al-Qaeda-backed Ansar Al Islam (previously Ansarullah Bangla Team), and carried out several terrorist attacks in the region including the suicide attack on an Ahmadiyya mosque in Baghmara in December. In 2004, JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai established a reign of terror in the area by killing and torturing scores of people. After the murder, Syria-based Salafist terrorist group IS said that their members had killed Prof Rezaul for “calling to atheism.” It was the 15th attack conducted by the New JMB group, believed to be affiliated with the IS, since September last year. The murder took place only 10 days after the IS claimed that it has a strong base in Bangladesh, from where they have plans to attack Myanmar and India, and that they targeted atheists and Murtads (apostates). With Prof Rezaul, four RU teachers have been killed by Shibir and JMB members in the last decade. So far, a total of 12 suspects have been detained in connection with Prof Rezaul murder that outraged teachers and students of the university. But the prime suspect, Chhatra Shibir leader and RU English department student Shariful Islam, who masterminded the killing, has remained out of the radar. Shariful alias Rahat alias Talha, who allegedly raised a group named Ansar Rajshahi, is believed to be hiding in India. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police on August 29 declared Tk1 lakh bounty each for Shariful and another key accused, Nazrul Islam alias Parvez alias Bike Hassan. During the investigation, police found that the militants used to communicate with each other through a mobile application named Thrima, widely used by the New JMB operatives. The group wanted to do something to prove their strength to the high-command. Since the murder took place, a total of two suspects – Bike Hassan and Tarek Hossain Milu alias Osman – have been killed in gunfights while another died while undergoing treatment in custody. Nibras Islam, one of the militants killed in a commando operation after the Gulshan restaurant attack, was also involved in Prof Rezaul murder, police say. Another suspect Hafizur Rahman, a second year student of RU public administration and secretary of Chhatra Shibir of Ward No 19, died in custody. According to investigators, the murder was planned by two people – Shariful and his classmate Muntasirul Alam Anindya, who is the son of local BNP leader and cousin of an influential Awami League leader. Anindya is currently in jail after remand in two phases. On the other hand, Shariful has been missing for more than a year and a half. Another senior official of Rajshahi police seeking anonymity said that Shariful is none other than Abu Suleman, whose name was found by the Indian law enforcement agencies after they arrested JMB leader Mosiuddin alias Musa in West Bengal on July 6. On August 15, a special team from Bangladesh Police went to India and interrogated Musa. Monirul Islam, chief of the DMP’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit, said that they had got some information about Shariful interrogating Musa and were analysing those. During the interrogation, Musa identified Shariful from a photograph the police showed him and alleged that he had been radicalised by Shariful. He also claimed that Shariful had a strong JMB network in Rajshahi region. Rajshahi police sources say once they complete verifying the information about Shariful, they will press charges against the accused. Rezaus Sadiq, inspector of detective branch in Rajshahi and also the investigation officer, told the Dhaka Tribune that the investigation was at the final statge. “We are now analysing the information regarding the arrestees and hope to submit the charge sheet to the court soon,” he added. Shariful’s father Abdul Hakim told the Dhaka Tribune that they had filed a general diary after he had gone missing. “We are not aware of his whereabouts and activities as he remains traceless,” he said.