report in The Daily Star, Oct 9, 2023
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit on Saturday evening arrested five members of banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam, including its nayeb-e-amir, from Jatrabari in Dhaka.
The arrestees are Nayeb-e-Amir Sakhawatul Kabir alias Anis alias Rafique, 45, military wing chief of Dhaka region Ihsanur Rahman alias Murad alias Saif, 26, and members Bakhtiar Rahman alias Nazmul, 30, Yusuf Ali Sarker, 31, and Jahedul Islam alias Ashraf, 35, said CTTC Chief Md Asaduzzaman at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre yesterday.
Two foreign pistols and 15 rounds of bullets were recovered from them.
Asaduzzaman said the arrestees had gathered in Jatrabari to carry out sabotage at different places in Dhaka.
In response to a query from journalists, the CTTC chief said one of the two death row convict militants who escaped from police custody last year sought refuge at the residence of one of these arrestees. As of now, both of them are still within the country.
About the arrestees, Asaduzzaman said Shakhawatul became involved in militancy in 2002 when he joined an organisation known as “Jamayatul Muslimeen,” led by his sister-in-law, Ejaz Kargil. Over time, he established connections with top militants across the country.
In 2010, Ejaz assumed leadership as the first amir of Ansar Al Islam Bangladesh, and it was during this period that Sakhawatul took on the role of nayeb-e-amir within the group and later moved to Pakistan.
When Ejaz was killed in an anti-terror operation in Pakistan in November 2014, Shakhawatul fled Pakistan and returned to the country. Upon his return, he resumed managing the organisational activities of Ansar al-Islam and was subsequently elected as a Shura member of the outfit in 2019.
Due to his prior connections, Shakhwatul was tasked by Ansar Al Islam with establishing contact with Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/ansar-al-islam-nayeb-e-amir-4-others-held-3438301
