Fugitive JMB militant arrested in Satkhira

23 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Detective Branch (DB) of police on Tuesday night arrested a fugitive militant of banned Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB) from a shrimp enclosure at Sarulia village in Tala upazila. Montaz Ali alias Momtaz, 40, son of Fazar Ali of village Kharibila is a charge-sheeted accused in the August 17, 2005 serial blast cases. Police and DB sources said, a team of DB police raided the shrimp enclosure owned by Mahabbar Ali and arrested Montaz who was hiding there in the guise of a worker since August 17 incident. Soon after the serial blasts at five places in the town, police filed five cases with Sadar police station. The then officer-in-charge (OC) Golam Mohammad filed the sixth case with Sadar police station against the accused for taking part in subversive activities. On August 17 in 2005, a bomb kept in a bag left on the premises of Women and Children Repression Prevention Court in the town went off. Five other bombs also exploded at five places simultaneously. Police later arrested JMB operative Nasir Uddin Dafadar of village Bakal Islampur and other JMB operatives in connection with the blasts. Police also arrested some JMB activists and recovered from their possession diaries and note books containing details of military training and armed guerrilla warfare and Jihadi books with slogans and songs. Investigation authorities on March 23, 2006 submitted charge sheet against 19 JMB leaders and activists in all the case six cases. The charge sheeted accused are Nasir Uddin Dafadar, Monowar Hossain Uzzal, Maniruzzaman Munna, Nur Ali Member, Anisur Rahman Khokon, Gias Uddin, Mahbubur Rahman Liton, Billal Hossain, Asadul Haque, Nayeem, Rakib Hasan alias Rusel alias Hafez Mahmud alias Mahmud, Momtaz alias Montaz, Fakar Uddin Raju, Syeed alias Asaduzzaman, Habibur Rahman and Abul Khair. JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman, JMJB chief Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai and JMB military Chief Ataur Rahman Sunny were excluded from the charge sheet as they were executed in another case. Of the accused, Nayeem, Fakar Uddin Raju, Habib, Khayer and Sayeed are still absconding.