Monday, May 17, 2004
Islamist private army rises in Bangladesh
Sharier Khan (OneWorld.net) Dhaka, May 17
A 100,000-strong pro-Taliban group, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), previously known as the Jama'atul Mujahedin is operating a private army that terrorises locals and Leftists in northern Bangladesh, allegedly at the behest of local police and politicians.
The Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), previously known as the Jama'atul Mujahedin, is accused of killing at least five alleged underground Leftists and injuring many more since it surfaced last month after reportedly operating underground for six years. The JMJB is said to be the youth front of the outlawed militant group Harqat-ul-Jihad.
The group claims to target outlawed Leftists known as Sarbaharas, members of the Purbo Bangla Communist Party. But terrorised villagers accuse the JMJB of raping women, harassing villagers and flaunting firearms, swords and other weapons. When local dailies began reporting on the apparently 100,000-strong JMJB, group members reverted to lying low.
For now, their activities are restricted to the northern, Leftist-troubled districts of Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore and Bogra.
Charges Naogaon villager Abdul Halim, "They are painting women black if they see exposed navels, randomly assaulting people on charges of being Sarbaharas, extorting protection money and forcing men to wear beards and women to don veils."
But Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, who is leading the JMJB's Sarbahara cleansing mission, maintains, "We are fully backed by the locals." Rejecting allegations of rape and harassment, he claims over 4,000 Sarbaharas have surrendered to the JMJB.
Admitting some connivance with the JMJB, divisional inspector general of police in Rajshahi Noor Mohammad remarks, "We've asked police stations to support them whenever they go to catch outlaws (Sarbaharas)."
Mohammad explains that since the Sarbaharas terrorised the region for many years and it is impossible for the undermanned, under-equipped police to hunt down them, Bangla Bhai is helping out.
But according to a cross-section of people interviewed in the northern districts, two local parliamentarians of the ruling party brought the JMJB into the picture as part of their strategy to "fight fire with fire." Some members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were killed since last year and party leaders are said to be taking revenge.
One of those accused of such a move is parliamentarian Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, who lost his politician nephew Sabbir Ahmed Gamma to terrorists in February.
"I have not deployed the JMJB to uproot the Sarbaharas. I do not know them," protests Dulu, but he quickly adds that he has asked the locals to resist the Sarbaharas with the help of the police.
Denouncing such "government sponsored vigilante activities," advocate Sultana Kamal of the human rights organization Ain-o-Salish Kendro asks, "How can the administration allow vigilante activities? In the name of Sarbahara cleansing, these militants are repressing innocent people, and women are particularly vulnerable to their attacks."
The chief of the JMJB, Mawlana Abdur Rahman, is a graduate from a university in Saudi Arabia and served for five years in the Saudi embassy in Dhaka till 1990. He admits to taking help from elected public representatives and claims to have spoken to local parliamentarians who "extended their support." Rahman estimates the drive will continue till the rainy season.
Leaders of the JMJB admit they idolize extremist Islamic leaders and scholars, follow the militant ideals of Afghanistan's routed Taliban and spearhead a movement based on jihad, or holy war.
The JMJB, which has three tiers of workers, has trained 10,000 full-time activists and spends up to $12,000 on them every month.
Since 1998, the activists reportedly orchestrated over 100 operations in different regions, including murders and attacks.
Incidentally, the first bomb attacks on cultural events in Bangladesh, regarded eyesores by the militants, began from 1999, a year after the JMJB is said to have started vigilante operations. Since then 14 attacks have left over 100 dead.
Mawlana Abdur Rahman denies any connection with these bomb attacks. "We are called part of the Al Qaeda, Taliban or an Islamic militant organization. But we are not like that. We would like to work in line with Hilful Fuzul (a social organization founded by Prophet Mohammed to serve the destitute)." Rahman admits his party's head office is located in Dhaka but refuses to give its address.
Explaining why the JMJB kept its activities under wraps till April, Moulana Rahman points out, "We did not want to declare our presence because we did not want police help from the beginning. We wanted to establish the rights of the repressed."
Asked if the JMJB idolizes the Taliban, he answers, "Our role models include many leaders and scholars of Islam. We will take only as much (ideology) from the Taliban as we need."
He says his group does not aspire for political power, but "if Bangladeshis give us the responsibility of running the nation, we will accept it."
The JMJB hit the headlines in August after its armed men under the banner of the Jama'atul Mujahedin Bangladesh fought the police for hours in northern Bangladesh. The police arrested 23 of them from a camp but they were later mysteriously released.
Both JMJB's Bangla Bhai and Moulana Rahman were involved with the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami, the right wing member of the ruling alliance. Locals allege the JMJB is an "action front" of the Jamaat but Rahman rejects the allegation.
As for the government, State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar claims he learnt about the JMJB from the newspapers. "But I heard of a group that has been providing information on outlaw operations to the police. We encourage such activities, but nobody will be allowed to take the law into their own hands."
All the mainstream leftist political parties denounce the government backed JMJB operation. The leader of the 11 left party alliance Khalequzzaman exclaims, "This is outrageous. If the government sponsors vigilantes, then why keep the police?"
The main opposition Awami League has asked the government to take action against the JMJB or face dire consequences.
Hard pressed by media reports and a public uproar, The Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Saturday told the police to arrest the JMJB leaders, saying the government would not allow illegal private troops to operate.
But senior police officials professed ignorance about the order Sunday. Bangla Bhai for his part is unmoved by the directive, warning that the JMJB's drive will continue.
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2004.