JMB 'commander' Asad among 50 trained by Sunny in 2003

Earlier, nine of them were remanded for five days and two were shown arrested under Section 54 when they were produced before a First Class magistrate court on December 18. Two separate cases under Explosives Substances Act were filed against the nine people including Asaduzzaman, 'area commander' of JMB (Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh).

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali police station informed that no new information was gathered from the arrestees except Asaduzzaman. Asad was taken to Dhaka for interrogation by the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC). Asad will also be produced before court tomorrow.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Acting on Asad's statement, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and police conducted combing operation in several areas in the district town to nab other JMB cadres.

Earlier, Asad told interrogators that he took training along with 50 other JMB men at Gharadap in Jamalpur Sadar in 2003 under the guidance of Ataur Rahman Sunny, JMP operation chief.

Residents in Akua area are still panic-stricken after arms haul. It was beyond our imagination that JMB men were in our area, said Abdul Barek, a resident.

Meantime, family members and relatives of Asad told newsmen that they want punishment of Asad if he is involved with such henous activities of JMB.

Asad, five among his seven brothers and sister, passed the Secondary School certificate (SSC) examination from Phulbaria Al-Hera Academy in First Division in 2000 and obtained the HSC certificate from Phulbaria Degree Cin 2002. Later he got admitted to English department at Government Ananda Mohan College.

Asad comes of a well known family in Radhakanai village in Phulbaria. Asad's mother said he was meritorious and very gentle from his childhood. "We could not imagine that he is involved with militants", she said. Asad's elder brother Monjurul Haque Babu said they were astonished to hear the news his arrest for his alleged involvement with MB.

They also demanded punishment of those who lured Asad to become a militant.