Police have arrested four members of Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh (HujiB) along with 18 bombs from an abandoned building in Nandoain area of Joydevpur.
Some electronics devices, knives and radical books were also discovered from their possessions, Gazipur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid told reporters at his office Friday.
The four were arrested during a drive conducted on a tip off around 8pm Thursday when they were holding a secret meeting there, the SP said.
Ferocious HujiB now on the wane
The arrestees are Khairul Islam, 26, son of Abul Kasem, from Kaultia Moidyapara area in the Gazipur city; Aminul Hoque, 49, from Bishwas Betka Atpukur village in Tangail sadar; Shahid Ullah, 43, from Khamarpara villager in Gopalpur upazila of the district; and Golam Kibria Khan, 25, son of Saiful Islam Khan, of Soidpara village in Mymensingh sadar.
Khairul and Kibria, both engineers by profession, are former students of Gazipur Islamic Institute of Technology while Shahid Ullah is an alleged militant who recently returned from Myanmar's Arakan state.
The SP also said the engineers used to make explosive materials and devices, while Aminul was tasked with the group's recruitment activities.
HujiB eyed prison van attacks to free leaders
The government banned the organisation on October 17, 2005 for carrying out terrorist attacks across the country.
HujiB announced its formation officially on April 30, 1992 from a press conference at the National Press Club with Maulana Abdus Salam as its chief.
Other top brass included Shaikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Haq, who served as the chief of Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), and Muhammad Habibur Rahman alias Bulbuli Huzur of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury, principal of Lalkhan Madrasa in Chittagong.
Three HujiB members held
According to intelligence information, the three HujiB factions are led by Mufti Hannan, Mufti Rouf and Abdus Salam. Of them, Salam is absconding and believed to be leading the group from abroad.
Leaders of the three groups held meetings several times to unite, but it has not been possible because of Salam’s opposition.
Many of its members have joined different active militant groups like the JMB and Ansarullah Bangla Team, and are believed to be taking part in the recent targeted killings.
Police’s detective branch has got information after interrogating Mufti Maulana Nazimuddin, Engineer Saiduzzaman and Anas, who were arrested from Old Dhaka on July 23, that the factions are working to strengthen its organisational activities.
The outfit enjoyed impunity during the military-backed caretaker government when they organised rallies and processions under the banner of Sachetan Islami Janata. The faction led by Salam even floated Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) with a 15-member convening committee in May, 2008 to contest the national election in December. But the IDP did not get party registration.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
