JMB, HuJi activists in Jhenidah regrouping

JMB and Huji men are coming back to mosques and madrasas in rural areas and resuming militant activities, taking the advantage of alleged lax vigilance by law enforcers, the sources claimed.

The top leaders of JMB and Huji had fled from the mosques and madrasas following the countrywide crackdown on militants.

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"I have enough information that mosques and madrasas in my constituency are being used by militant groups. But as the government does not give green signal, police are not arresting them", Awami League (AL) lawmaker from Jhenidah-1 constituency Abdul Hai told The Daily Star.

The sources claimed that unknown faces are seen at different mosque and madrasa complexes in Chaklapara, Chhoto-Kamarkundu, Shikarpur, Upashaharpara, Kanchanpur, Pabahati, Hamdah, Adarshapara, Boro-Kamarkundu and Baparipara in Jhenidah municipal areas.

"When asked they introduce themselves as either Islamic scholars or teachers," a ward commissioner in Jhenidah municipality said seeking anonymity.

Islamist militants have also strongholds in Balidapara Quami madrasa in Kaligang upazila, Bhabanipur area in Harinakundu upazila, Madhupur and Kangsha villages in the Sadar and Borodah, Gagaganj, Kashimpur and Bakshipur in Shailakpur upazila, intelligence agencies said.

Although police have listed 45 suspected militants, they arrested 15 of them including Huji trainer Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul. Top five militant cadres who recruited and trained militants in the district are yet to be arrested, according to Jhenidah police.

Only seven out of 14 chargesheeted accused in the August 17 incident accused could be arrested so far, four and a half months after the serial bombing in the district. Locals are quite skeptic about the police drive to nab them.

The rest of the chargesheeted accused including Matin Mehidi alias Matinul, one of the two chiefs of 'Allahr Dal' (an alleged offshoot of JMB), are yet to be nabbed.

Matin Mehidi, son of Enamul Haque of Bridge Road in Gaibandha town, was arrested earlier by Jhenidah police on October 20, 2003 along with 10 other suspected militants during a raid on a training camp in Pabahati area. But they were released on bail after a few days.

When asked, Jhenidah Police Superintendent A Kram Hossain denied allegation of lax vigilance. Fifteen suspected militants have already been arrested and police hunt is on to nab the rest five top militants and chargesheeted accused in the August 17 case, he said.

Meanwhile, a sense of panic is fraying nerves of teachers, guardians, students and government officials in the face JMB death threats through letters and to blow up educational institutions and key installations.

In their latest letter issued on December 27, JMB threatened Koatchandpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Ishak Mian with death. In the hand-written letter, JMB operatives also threatened to blow up the local police station.

Earlier, in another letter sent to the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Harinakundu police station on December 8, JMB operatives asked policemen to stop harassing their cadres and threatened to blow up the police station for non-compliance.

They also threatened the Kaliganj UNO with death through a letter. The UNO, Moazzem Hossain, on November 29 got the letter posted from Jhenidah post office, he told this correspondent earlier.

The letters created panic among policemen and officials at the upazila.

The Jhenidah SP however said that police were never afraid of any threat. Policemen at six police stations and 34 outposts have been asked to be more cautious only, he said.

Talking to this correspondent Koatchandpur UNO Mohammad Ishaq Mian also said he is not scared. Security has been tightened in the upazila headquarters and officials have been suggested to move carefully, he said.