After almost two years of being on the run, Hefazat-e Islam’s Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury has been arrested in connection with the explosion at a Chittagong madrasa in 2013.
Mufti Izhar, the prime accused in three cases filed in connection with the blast, was apprehended from in front of Al Jamiatul Uloom Al Islamia Madrasa in the city’s Lalkhan Bazar area yesterday afternoon.
A team of detectives, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner SM Tanvir Arafat, acted on a tip-off and arrested Izhar as he was leaving the madrasa, said CMP DB’s Assistant Commissioner (port) ABM Foyzul Islam.
He added that the Detective Branch acted after recently receiving arrest warrants against Izhar in three cases filed against him for the deaths and the recovery of explosives and picric acid following the madrasa blast.
On October 7, 2013, a massive explosion ripped through a dormitory room at the Al Jamiatul Ulum Al Islamia Madrasa, leaving three madrasa students dead. The police later raided the madrasa to recover hand-grenades, grenade-making materials and 18 bottles of picric acid used to amplify the magnitude of explosion.
Soon after the incident, Izhar – the founder principal of the madrasa – went in hiding, while his son Harun Izhar – the training secretary of Hefazat – was arrested just two days after the explosion.
Although Mufti Izhar had been evading arrest for the past two years, locals said the fugitive had been leading the Jumma prayers at the madrasa mosque for the past few months.
Local resident Alauddin Hossain Dulal, who is a photojournalist for a local daily, told the Dhaka Tribune that Mufti Izhar also led yesterday’s Jumma prayers at the madarasa mosque.
Seeking anonymity, several Hefazat activists as well as some students of the madrasa told the Dhaka Tribune that Mufti Izhar had been hiding at a madrasa in the city’s Bakalia area.
CMP DB Deputy Commissioner Kushum Dewan said they are investigating whether Mufti Izhar has any connection with the recent killings of bloggers, or had links to any domestic or international militant organisations.
Mufti Izhar will be presented before a Chittagong court on Saturday in the madrasa explosion killing case, said DB Assistant Commissioner Foyzul, adding that the police would seek a 10-day remand against the Hefazat leader.
The CMP has also formed a 10-member committee led by DB chief Kushum Dewan to interrogate the detainee, he added.
Aged around 70 years, Mufti Izhar is the ameer of an Islami Oikya Jote faction and also the chairman of a Nezam-e-Islam faction.
RAB had previously arrested Izhar in December 2010 in connection with two criminal cases, but he secured bail after a few months. At that time, the CID showed Izhar arrested in a case to investigate his links to banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (Huji).
