3 teachers among 11 Hijbut Tahrir men held in Rajshahi
Friday, 19 September 2008
RAJSHAHI, Sept 18 (UNB): Eleven leaders and workers of the Islamic outfit Hijbut Tahrir, including three Rajshahi University (RU) teachers, were arrested at Sonadighi crossing in the north-western city Thursday ahead of their pre-announced press conference.
Police said they arrested the Tahrir men as "suspected militants" after they reached here by a microbus to hold the press conference at the local Press Club at 1.00 pm for announcing programme of the party.
The three arrested teachers are Syed Golam Mawla of Management Department, Ahmed Jamal of Chemistry of Dhaka University and Mamoon Ansari of the Southern University in Dhaka.
The others held are believed to be students of different universities in the country. They are Masud Kawser, son of Shafiqul Islam of Chandpur district, Omar Farook, son of Sadiqul Islam of Chapainawabganj, Moniruzzaman Masud, son of Harunur Rashid of Noakhali, Saddam Hossain, son of Mohammad Hossain, and Mozammel Haque, son of Shamsul Islam, of Brahmanbaria, Akhtar Hossain, son of Ali Hossain of Chittagong, Jahedul Islam, son of Aftab Uddin of Kishoreganj, and their microbus driver Jahangir Alam, son of Abdur Rahman of Noakhali district.
Police also seized the microbus carrying them, 12 mobile-phone sets and huge leaflets and posters of the party from the possession of the Islamists.
This group's abortive debut here came as a major matter after the JMB militants' march through this city at the height of their vigilante operation in the district and their eventual nemesis.
Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Detective Branch Ekramul Hossain said the university teachers and others were arrested as "suspected militants" in apprehension of their "subversive acts".
Carrying leaflets with anti-government statements in violation of the state of emergency was also cited as a ground for taking them in.
Arrested DU teacher Golam Mawla said they convened a press conference at Rajshahi City Press Club a day before the party's central press conference at the Engineers' Institution auditorium in Dhaka.
The DU teacher also named Mohiuddin Ahmed as their party's central leader.
Prior to arranging the press conference, the party activists distributed leaflets in the city-heart Saheb Bazar area after Tarabi prayers on Sept 9. The party leaflets also carried anti-government slogans.
The party undertook steps to spread and propagate its activities by holding the press conference in Rajshahi for the first time, sources said. But police forestalled the move.
In the leaflets the group also urged the Muslim Ummah to unite during the holy month of Ramadan and "regain the lost glory". They also made a call for what they said "toppling the government for restoration of Khilafat (caliphate)".
Especially, Rajshahi's Bagmara area was a stronghold of Islamic militants under JMJB, the operations wing of JMB, and Sarbahara outlaws in the last few years.
Police said they arrested the Tahrir men as "suspected militants" after they reached here by a microbus to hold the press conference at the local Press Club at 1.00 pm for announcing programme of the party.
The three arrested teachers are Syed Golam Mawla of Management Department, Ahmed Jamal of Chemistry of Dhaka University and Mamoon Ansari of the Southern University in Dhaka.
The others held are believed to be students of different universities in the country. They are Masud Kawser, son of Shafiqul Islam of Chandpur district, Omar Farook, son of Sadiqul Islam of Chapainawabganj, Moniruzzaman Masud, son of Harunur Rashid of Noakhali, Saddam Hossain, son of Mohammad Hossain, and Mozammel Haque, son of Shamsul Islam, of Brahmanbaria, Akhtar Hossain, son of Ali Hossain of Chittagong, Jahedul Islam, son of Aftab Uddin of Kishoreganj, and their microbus driver Jahangir Alam, son of Abdur Rahman of Noakhali district.
Police also seized the microbus carrying them, 12 mobile-phone sets and huge leaflets and posters of the party from the possession of the Islamists.
This group's abortive debut here came as a major matter after the JMB militants' march through this city at the height of their vigilante operation in the district and their eventual nemesis.
Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Detective Branch Ekramul Hossain said the university teachers and others were arrested as "suspected militants" in apprehension of their "subversive acts".
Carrying leaflets with anti-government statements in violation of the state of emergency was also cited as a ground for taking them in.
Arrested DU teacher Golam Mawla said they convened a press conference at Rajshahi City Press Club a day before the party's central press conference at the Engineers' Institution auditorium in Dhaka.
The DU teacher also named Mohiuddin Ahmed as their party's central leader.
Prior to arranging the press conference, the party activists distributed leaflets in the city-heart Saheb Bazar area after Tarabi prayers on Sept 9. The party leaflets also carried anti-government slogans.
The party undertook steps to spread and propagate its activities by holding the press conference in Rajshahi for the first time, sources said. But police forestalled the move.
In the leaflets the group also urged the Muslim Ummah to unite during the holy month of Ramadan and "regain the lost glory". They also made a call for what they said "toppling the government for restoration of Khilafat (caliphate)".
Especially, Rajshahi's Bagmara area was a stronghold of Islamic militants under JMJB, the operations wing of JMB, and Sarbahara outlaws in the last few years.