Key BNP ally Jamaat-e-Islami is developing a militant network in the subcontinent in different ways including with financial support from West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress, campaigner of war crimes trial Shahriar Kabir has alleged.
He said Jamaat was the godfather of all militant networks in South Asia including Bangladesh and its activities in the name of Jihad had threatened the country’s security.
The Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee leader made the remarks yesterday at a discussion in the city citing news reports on the recent Saradha Group’s funding for Jamaat and the grenade blasts in Bardhaman of West Bengal.
The event was jointly organised by the committee and the Forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals of 1971 at the WVA auditorium in the capital’s Dhanmondi.
Kabir said the blast incident had taken place on October 2 at the house of a Trinamool leader which was used as a den of banned Islamist group JMB.
The incident took place days after Indian newspaper Anandabazar reported on September 12 that Saradha Group of India had extended considerable financial assistance to Jamaat to help the party create unrest when Sheikh Hasina’s government began trying its top leaders for war crimes.
Ahmed Hassan Imran, a parliamentarian of Trinamool Congress, has been accused of playing the key role in sending the money to Jamaat.
“Such activities have raised much concern among the security analysts and intelligence agencies in both India and Bangladesh,” Kabir added.
On September 28, Bangladesh-born British citizen Samiun Rahman Ibne Hamdan was arrested for his alleged link with Middle East-based militant groups Islamic State (IS) and al-Nusra Front.
Quoting him, Detective Branch officials claimed that Samiun had come to Dhaka in February this year to collect Mujahids for Syria.
Kabir said: “Jamaat has been continuing their activities from Pakistan, England and America. But now they are carrying out militant activities from our neighbouring country India. It is threatening for both the countries.”
Criticising West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, chief of Trinamool Congress, for assisting Jamaat, Kabir said it would be suicidal for her.
Maj Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid, a security analyst, said: “It is very simple that India may have different strategic plan to prevent militant network. But it should be a matter of concern if such strategy poses threat on its neighbouring country.”
Kabir proposed that the Bangladesh government again take initiative to build regional task force to fight against the militancy and terrorism.
“Bangladesh and India should now build joint task force, without Pakistan, to show ‘zero tolerance’ to terrorism and militancy network. If the two countries agree, then Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and China may also join since these countries are also surrounded by Jamaat and al-Qaeda network,” he added.
The Awami League-led government took such an initiative after coming to power in 2009. Pakistan was not interested at that time and the initiative was not carried forward.
Kabir said: “In India’s land, no anti-Bangladesh activities and conspiracy will be tolerated. The Trinamool government and the central government of India should take immediate action against all activities of Jamaat and its militancy network.”
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Hoque said many people were unhappy with the recent Appellate Division verdict in Delawar Hossain Sayedee case.
“After the tribunal commuted the death penalty of Sayedee to imprisonment until death, my village people considered it as Sayedee is released,” he said.
The Nirmul Committee also placed seven questions regarding the Sayedee verdict.
It asked why the prosecution had failed to present witnesses to the tribunal, presented irrelevant and weak witnesses and could not prove the charge of genocide against Sayedee.
They also questioned the responsibilities and capabilities of the prosecution and the investigation agency, coordination of the government, silence of acting chief prosecutor Syed Haider Ali and the judges.
Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta argued: “We the prosecutors had no experience to run this type of special court. We were not given any training on international war crimes...We have learnt whenever we faced obstacles.
“On the other hand, the government could not ensure security of the witnesses. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure security of the witnesses.”
About Haider Ali, Rana said the acting chief prosecutor was performing Hajj and would be back soon.
Prof Muntassir Mamoon placed a counter argument saying that the prosecutors could have gone to the Law Ministry together to complain about their concerns.
The prosecutors should stop conducting cases until the government assured all necessary instruments to ensure justice for the war victims, he said.
Sayedee’s verdict was frustrating, he said. “Under the same law, we saw another war criminal Abdul Quader Molla hanged for committing war crimes.”
The discussion was presided over by veteran cultural personality Kamal Lohani when Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury was also present. State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan was supposed to attend the program, but he was not present.
