C T Online Desk: Law enforcers are looking for around 200 members, including six kingpins, of different banned militant outfits like Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Hizb ut-Tahrir.
The hunt has been launched after activities of the militant organisations have seen a sudden and unusual rise in the country.
The banned fanatic outfits are reportedly making blueprints secretly to carry out subversive acts in the country, detective sources said.
The blueprints came to the light recently after confessional statements given by several militants arrested from different parts of the country, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said.
As part of the move, the Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU) of police has sought people’s help to arrest six suspected kingpins of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
The fugitive lynchpins are Md Abu Jahid, Shibli Ahmed, Md Imadul Amin, A Rahman, Md Faisal and Hafiz Al Razi.
On Wednesday night, the ATU published photographs of the militant leaders, accused in cases filed with Gulshan Police Station in Dhaka under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Digital Security Act, requesting information that may lead to their arrest.
The informants’ identity will not be disclosed, according to the notice, which also said a mobile phone app, Inform ATU, can be used to provide information without revealing one’s identity.
Some of the outfit members held meetings online and delivered anti-state speeches after the organisation was banned in October 2019, according to the notice.
Earlier, law enforcers also published the photographs of some top militant kingpins declaring bounty of lakhs of taka.
But in most cases, the law enforcers were unable to catch them. Among them, sacked Major Zia remains still fugitive. Police said they are unable to trace his whereabouts.
Besides, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) also released pictures of two key militant organisers and four members of banned Islamist outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), suspects for the militant attacks and murder of bloggers, and announced bounties on them.
Police announced Tk 5 lakh bounty for two key ABT organisers Shariful alias Sakib alias Saleh alias Arif alias Hadi-1 and Selim alias Iqbal alias Mamun alias Hadi-2. A Tk 2 lakh bounty was announced for each of the four members of the banned militant outfit.
The key ABT members are Samir alias Imran, Abdus Samad alias Sujon alias Raju alias Salman alias Saad, Shihab alias Sumon alias Saiful and Sazzad alias Sojib alias Siam alias Shams.
In the wake of the recent massive anti-militant crackdown by law enforcers, these militants have reportedly gone into hiding.
Detective sources said they launched a massive hunt in different remote and inaccessible areas of the hilly regions in the country to nab the militants and their kingpins.
Most of the militants have left their homes and taken shelter in those isolated hilly areas, sources said.
Besides, activists of another new militant outfit Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya have also selected various remote and inaccessible areas of hilly Bandarban and Rangamati districts as a safe haven for militant training.
With a view to avoiding arrest, the militants have taken such hilly regions for arms training, RAB said.
According to the elite force, over 50 militants from different parts of the country are now undergoing training in several training camps of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in remote areas of Bandarban and Rangamati.
Seven militants and three KNF members were arrested along with weapons in a joint operation recently.
They also revealed the names of the ameer of Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya and six important members of its Shura Committee.
Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB’s law and media wing, said a secret hideout of KNF and militants was destroyed on October 10 in the joint operation of Bangladesh Army and RAB.
Nine SBBL cartridge guns, 50 bullets, 62 cartridge cases, six Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), a country-made pistol, a walkie-talkie, uniforms and other equipment were recovered from them.
Earlier, RAB revealed the names of 38 militants in a press conference in Dhaka on October 10.
After confirming the information, the joint forces started operations in Barathali union of Bilaichhari upazila in Rangamati and Rowanchhari and Ruma upazilas of Bandarban.
While one of their hideouts was destroyed in the operation, there are many more hidden hideouts.
On October 17, the government announced a ban on tourists travelling to the country’s mountainous region bordering India and Myanmar after launching the anti-militancy operation.
Multiple separatist groups may have been harbouring militants and allowing them to use the area to train recruits, RAB said.
