Dubbed an initiative to free the imprisoned spiritual leaders of militant groups and Islamic clerics, the armed group Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya was formed in 2017 with support from the now-waned banned militant outfits, which are responsible for hundreds of deadly attacks in the last 30 years.
Law enforcers say Jama'atul Ansar gained a foothold in 2019. Two years later, its leaders joined hands with the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), a separatist group in Bandarban, to get the militants trained in using assault rifles and making Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).
The other armed groups having a presence in the hilly areas include the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), Arakan Army (AA), and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO).
The activities of Jama'atul Ansar came to light in October 2022, when the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was investigating the disappearance of seven youths from Comilla. Later, a list of 55 trainees, mostly students from across the country, was discovered.
Since then, most of the leaders and trained members of Jama'atul Ansar and the KNF have been arrested during drives by the joint forces and the police's RAB and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) in the hills. Law enforcers also raided Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar and arrested two key leaders of Jama'atul Ansar.
Based on the interrogations and confessional statements, it is learned that the top leaders of Jama'atul Ansar are linked to Ansar Al Islam, Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and the Bangladesh chapter of the Pakistan-based group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (Huji).
According to the CTTC, Jama'atul Ansar members spread militancy under the guise of people running a madrasa, converting people of other religions to Islam, and preaching Islam. RAB says it planned to establish a caliphate in Bangladesh through armed struggle and carry out attacks on key installations and important personalities in India, Pakistan, and Myanmar. Its goal is similar to that of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Huji. Police say the new al-Qaeda-inspired group is financed by Ansar al-Islam military wing chief sacked army major Syed Ziaul Haque.
The ameer of Jama'atul Ansar, Anisur Rahman Mahmud, and military commander Shibbir Ahmed alias Hamid Karche have remained traceless.
Anisur Rahman Mahmud CollectedThe previous ameer, Mainul Islam alias Roxy, was arrested last year. Mainul is a former member of the Jamaat-e-Islami's student front, Islami Chhatra Shibir. He was expelled from Rangpur Cadet College.
Arrest of key leaders
* On Friday, CTTC said that they had arrested Shamim Mahfuz alias Shamin Mahfuz alias Manring Morong, the founder of Jama'atul Ansar, along with his wife from Dhaka. RAB earlier said Mahfuz was an advisor to the outfit. He was previously arrested in 2011 and 2017.
Shamim Mahfuz Collected* On June 5, RAB arrested three Shura members—Mosharraf Hossain Rakib, Zakaria Hossain, and Ahadul Islam Majumdar Sifat alias Mamid—from Gazipur.
* Abdullah Maymun, a Shura member and head of the dawah (invitation) branch of Jama'atul Ansar, was arrested during a drive in Sylhet, RAB said at a press conference on May 9. Maymun was an active member of Ansar al-Islam until 2013. In 2019, Maymun was arrested and imprisoned in an anti-terrorism case in Bogra. He was released on bail at the end of 2020. Later, he helped Jama'atul Ansar contact Ansar al-Islam. He also met with sacked major Zia last year.
* Sakib Bin Kamal, the head of its media and IT department, was arrested in a raid by the CTTC unit in Dhaka's Kamalapur on April 25. He was previously arrested in 2015 for his link to Islamic State recruiter Aminul Islam Baig, then-IT chief of International Beverages Private Ltd, a Coca-Cola unit.
* On March 13, RAB said they arrested the training commander of the outfit, Didar Hossain alias Masum, and eight others during a drive in Bandaran's Tongkaboti.
* Nayeb-e-Ameer Md Mohibullah alias Bholar Shaykh, a former member of Huji, was arrested by CTTC members from the Syedabad Bus Terminal area in the capital on February 21.
Md Mohibullah Collected* On January 23, military wing chief Mashukur Rahman alias Ranbir and his associate Abul Bashar Mridha alias Alam (bomb maker) were arrested by RAB following a gunfight at Rohingya Camp No 7 in Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar.
* On December 13, CTTC said Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Shafiqur Rahman was involved directly in assisting Jama'atul Ansar members to take training in Bandarban and bear the expenses. He made the remarks after the interrogation of the Jamaat chief's son, Rafat—a member of Ansar al-Islam who was arrested from Jatrabari in the capital on November 9.
