report in Prothom Alo, 03 Jan 2023
Nine students of different schools and colleges of the country were made members of a Facebook group titled ‘Duniya Kiye Musafir’.
In the group, they were inspired to radicalism in the name of religious education.
Days later, they were engaged to another group on Telegram, a social media platform, where they were taught about different religious issues in a bid to radicalise their minds. At a stage, they were asked to travel to a tranquil hill area to practice their religious beliefs properly.
The youths left their homes eventually for ‘Hizrat’ and reached Rangamati. They returned to Chattogram not getting the expected environment there. Among them, one fell sick and was admitted to a hospital for treatment.
Upon receiving the news, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) took them under their custody. Today, Monday, the elite force handed over these youths to their families, organising an event titled “Nabo Diganter Pothe” at RAB headquarters in Dhaka.
In the event, the director general of RAB M Khurshid Hossain welcomed the youths, presenting flowers, books and cash money.
M Khurshid Hossain said many youths stepped into radicalism after being brainwashed by the misinterpretation of the religion. He asked all parents and people from all social strata in the society to take care of their children properly so that they cannot pursue the wrong path.
Those who have returned to the families today will build up a golden Bangladesh after being educated properly, he added.
The RAB disclosed the names of the nine youths. They are Bakkar Siddique, Foisal Hossain, Faruk Hossain, Alif Khan, Mufliya Akhter, Tazkiya Tabassum, Jannatul Ferdous, Runa Akhter and Kaniz Fathema Ifti.
In the event, Faruk Hossain and Tazkiya Tabassum narrated their tales. They said they were inspired to radicalism after being engaged in a Facebook group. Those who inspired them are unknown to them. They left home for ‘Hizrat’ being trapped into the misinterpretation of unknown people.
They further said they decided to go to the hill area in Rangamati, analysing the Google map. They left home on 22 December. On the following day, they met one another at a place in Chattogram. From there, they travelled to Rangamati by bus.
Later, they left Rangamati being unable to get to a tranquil place. Within the movements, a female member of the team fell sick and was admitted to a local hospital. On 25 December, the RAB rescued them and took them to Dhaka, they added.
Among the nine members, one is the son of a union parishad chairman of the country’s northern region.
In the event, the chairman said his son was diverted into radicalism after watching different mega serials on smart phone and using social media. And so he urged all to check their children’s activities on cell phones.
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