A new militant group has emerged in Bangladesh under the name “Ittihadul Ummah.” Intelligence agencies are currently investigating whether they have links to foreign militant organizations. This information came to light following the interrogation of individuals recently detained from the Tejgaon College mosque. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed confirmed the news regarding “Ittihadul Ummah.”
The Home Minister stated, “Through forensic analysis of the mobile phones of the individuals taken into custody in Tejgaon and their subsequent interrogation, we obtained information about plans to form an organization named ‘Ittihadul Ummah.’ They are accused of organizing extremist activities aimed at establishing a Caliphate.” However, the Bangladesh Government has issued an alert, emphasizing a strict crackdown on all forms of militant activity.
The Home Minister added, “We have a zero-tolerance policy against such extremist activities.”
Recently, police detained 23 individuals from a mosque at Tejgaon College in the capital, Dhaka, on suspicion of involvement with banned militant organizations. Acting on a secret tip-off, police apprehended them while they were holding a clandestine meeting after Friday prayers on September 18. A senior officer from the Tejgaon Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) briefed journalists about the successful operation. This arrest of militants in Tejgaon has once again brought militant activity in Bangladesh into focus. Notably, the United Nations had previously warned South Asian nations regarding various militant networks, including Al-Qaeda.
According to police sources, the detainees were apprehended during their secret meeting based on intelligence inputs. Officials from the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) and the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit took them into CTTC custody for verification and questioning. Interrogations are bringing to light various details about their militant activities. Under the patronage of fundamentalists, militant activity has been on the rise in Bangladesh. Furthermore, a deep conspiracy is underway to destabilize the country by unseating the elected government of Bangladesh, leveraging religious sentiments and foreign backing from behind the scenes.
The day after the arrests in Tejgaon, on Saturday, September 19, three buses were set on fire in Mirpur and Madhya Badda. A pickup van was also torched in South Keraniganj. Additionally, crude bomb explosions occurred in various locations across the capital, with more reported on Sunday in several areas. Overall, attempts are being made to create an atmosphere of panic. Intelligence officials believe defeated political forces are fueling these acts to destabilize Bangladesh. However, due to strict police vigilance, the situation currently remains under control.
Religious fundamentalism and militant activities have surged in Bangladesh since the era of the interim government. Following the formation of the new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, a zero-tolerance policy against militancy was adopted. After taking office, Zahed Ur Rahman, the Information Adviser to the Prime Minister, stated, “Militants exist in the country, and the government will work to bring militant activities down to zero.” The government is working toward that goal; however, opposition factions continue to patronize militants to put the government in a tight spot. Their game of destabilizing the nation constantly compromises public safety.
Since the July uprising, numerous militants have been roaming free. Three internationally listed hardline militant leaders who escaped from prison are still at large. Among the escaped prisoners, 9 were accused in multiple terrorism cases, and several were alleged to have ties with international terror organizations. So far, 6 of them have been rearrested, but the remaining three remain untraced, Inspector General of Prisons (IG Prisons) Brigadier General Syed Motaher Hossain told reporters.
Although prison authorities lack exact figures, it is known that at least 27 militants escaped from Narsingdi Jail alone. During the July ’24 mass uprising, at least 690 prisoners escaped from various jails across the country, many of whom are still unaccounted for. According to various sources, these fugitive militants are teaming up with fundamentalists to form new terror outfits in Bangladesh, aiming to create panic by attacking minorities.
Interrogating those arrested in Tejgaon, intelligence officers learned that the militants planned to organize under the new banner “Ittihadul Ummah” to establish a Caliphate. Following recent events, concerns over radicalism are escalating once again. Law enforcement agencies, however, state that there is currently insufficient evidence to view the situation as a full-blown resurgence of extremism, though potential activities are under close surveillance. Drawing from past experiences, the general public favors immediate and strict action. In their view, to keep the nation free from extremism, militancy must be nipped in the bud.
Militancy has long thrived in Bangladesh, expanding its footprint under the guise of religion through foreign funds and assistance. According to human rights activist Nur Khan Liton, extremism is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh; its presence has been a long-standing concern. In response to questions from journalists, he remarked, “How effectively these groups were monitored over the past two years is a critical question. We are now seeing indicators that they are attempting to reorganize.”
The web of militancy has even spread inside disciplined forces like the Bangladesh Air Force. This year, a Warrant Officer of the Bangladesh Air Force, who went missing from a base in Chattogram, was traced to a hideout of the banned militant outfit Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Following this incident, an internal investigation was launched into the presence of extremist networks within the armed forces. The Pakistani government recently informed Bangladeshi authorities that a Bangladesh Air Force member was fighting alongside the TTP against their military. Militant infiltration into the defense forces poses a severe threat to the country’s independence and sovereignty. Equally dangerous is the sowing of militant seeds in young minds through madrasas, which must be counteracted through even stricter vigilance. (Daily Sun)
