Militants freed on bail do not change
Many militant leaders and activists, arrested on specific charges, walk out of jail on bail and take up militant activities all over again.
Tariqul Islam, a leader of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) was arrested from Chittagong in a case related to countrywide bombings in 2005. He was freed two years ago on bail.
He was arrested again on 5 October for his involvement in the murder of former Power Development Board chairman Khijir Khan.
Tariqul on 25 October confessed to a court that he killed Khijir Khan for religious and ideological differences.
According to Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, a total of 42 JMB, 421 Hizb-ut Tahrir, 15 Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Huji) and 482 Ansarullah Bangla Team members were released on bail in past five years.
Many members of banned militant bands engage in killing, sabotage and anti-government activities after they walk out of jail on bail.
Sources in the court said that the High Court and several Dhaka metropolitan magistrate courts grant bail to convicted members in response to their bail petitions. However, no petition has, so far, been filed by the government seeking stay of their bail.
Talking about the government’s reluctance to seek stay order on such bail, law minister Anisul Huq told Prothom Alo, “Whenever I come to know anything like this, I take action. But in most cases, such information does not come to me. However, I have recently increased surveillance on this.”
On 26 January, 2013, police detained four youths for their alleged involvement in an attack on blogger Asif Mohiuddin.
They are as Saad Al Nahina, Mohammad Kawsar, Kamal Hossain Sardar and Kamal Uddin who were said to be members of Ansarullah Bangla Team. They even confessed to the court that they were involved in the machete attack.
Among them, Saad Al Nahina, who is a nephew of state minister Mujibul Haque Chunnu, got bail on 28 July, 2013.
Two days after, Kawsar and Kamal Uddin got bail and Kamal Hossain followed them in a few days.
On 7 August this year, Saad Al Nahina, Mohammad Kawsar and Kamal Hossain Sardar were arrested again for their alleged involvement in the murder of another blogger Niladri Chatterjee Niloy.
JMB’s second-in-command also on bail: On 21 December 2013, six people including a so-called pir (religious leader) were hacked to death at his home in Gopibagh by unknown assailants. On 15 September 2014, DB police showed JMB men Golam Sarowar and Ajmir arrested in the murder case.
DB inspector Abul Khayer Matubbar in the investigation report said Golam Sarowar is the second-in-command of JMB and they are involved with the six murders.
Later, Ajmir on 26 April this year, and Golam Sarowar on 14 June got bail from the High Court (HC). Court sources said, state did not made any appeal against the bails. Sarowar on 30 June and Ajmir on 18 May filed their bail with the judicial court.
Out on bail and killing blogger: Blogger Washiqur Rahman was hacked to death in Begunbari of Tejgaon industrial area in Dhaka on 30 March.
Police arrested two- Zikrullah and Ariful Islam- with the help of two transgender persons.
Among them, Ariful was earlier arrested by Raipura police of Narsingdi district under anti-terrorism act in 2012.
The IO of Washiqur’s murder case, Shah M Moshiur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Arifur was earlier arrested by Raipura police under anti-terrorism act. He again got involved with the militant activities after getting bail. Ariful and others used sharp weapons to kill blogger Washiqur.” DB police later filed charge sheet against five including Ariful.
Hizbut members on bail: The members of Hizbut Tahrir were released on bail at time despite being banned by the government. Asif Adnan and Fazle Elahi were arrested on 24 September last year in a case filed under the anti-terrorism act. Asif Adnan got bail from the HC on December last year before filing of the charge sheet in the case. Fazle Elahi also got bail from the HC in March this year. The bail order was filed on 3 March. DB sub inspector Aslam Ali Sheikh filed the charge sheet with the court on 4 July this year.
According to the charge sheet, “Adnan was involved with activities of Hizbut Tahrir while studying in Dhaka University. Later he was inspired by the ideals of Ansarullah Bangla Team. He took part in different activities of Hizbut Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team.”
Again, 35 people were arrested in a case filed with Kalabagan police station in 2012 under the anti-terrorism act. All of them were members of Hizbut Tahrir and were also released on bail in months after arrest.
According to an under trail case at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions court, on 24 September, 2012, senior advisors of Hizbut Tahrir Golam Maula and Maksudur Rahman were arrested. Charge sheet was filed against three including Golam Maula on 1 December. Syed Golam Maula got bail from the HC on 12 December.
Who are responsible: Asked about the bail of these accused and not appealing against the bail, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told Prothom Alo, “The state gives statement against the bail during the bail hearing. At times, the public prosecutor doesn’t inform me about the bail of the militants.”
Talking about the bail of the militants from the apex and the judicial court, former law minister Shafique Ahmed said people from the law enforcement agencies should inform the HC about the militants getting involved with murders and other subversive activities after being released on bail.
Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik said the criminal jurisdiction is used more as political tool instead of for the safety of the people. The state does not appeal against the bail of the notorious militants of the militant groups in the apex court. Yet, the militants again get involved in militancy after being released on bail.