United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman and senior leaders on Wednesday met British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke and discussed issues of mutual interest, including the upcoming national election. The High Commission said the meeting was part of a ‘series of meetings’ with political parties in Bangladesh. They discussed the UK’s partnership with Bangladesh and the party’s preparations for the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider received Nahid Islam, Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) at the High Commission.  Nahid Islam was accompanied by Alauddin Mohammad, Joint Member Secretary & Deputy Secretary of the International Cell, and SM Suza Uddin, Joint Member Secretary and Member of the International Cell. During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest.  

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court  on Tuesday acquitted Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam in a case over crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order. Earlier on April 22, the Appellate Division stayed the hearing of a review petition submitted by Azharul Islam in the case till May 6. Following his arrest, Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azhar faced nine charges of crimes against humanity. According to the chargesheet, he was “responsible” for killing 1,256 people, abducting 17, and raping 13 women during the Liberation War in Rangpur region. Besides, he was said to have tortured civilians, set fire to hundreds of houses and committed other atrocities. The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced him to death on December 30, 2014, in five out of the nine charges. On January 28, 2015, the death-row convict submitted a petition to the Appellate Division claiming his innocence. Later, on July 19, 2020, Azharul Islam filed the review petition with the relevant branch of the Appellate Division. Following an appeal hearing, the Appellate Division under a bench led by then-Chief Justice Syed Mahmud upheld the death penalty in a verdict delivered on October 23, 2019. The full text of the Appellate Division’s verdict was released on March 15, 2020, after which ATM Azhar submitted the review petition.

Police have arrested a high-ranking leader of Jamaat-e-Islami in Chattogram. Maulana Jahirul Islam is Jamaat-e-Islami’s Banshkhali upazila organisational secretary. He is also the former upazila chairman of Banshkhali. Sources told UNB that Maulana Jahirul was picked up by cops from his house in the Teri Bazar area under the jurisdiction of Kotwali police station around 11.30pm on Thursday. Chattogram district's additional police superintendent Afjarul Haque Tutul confirmed Maulana Jahirul's arrest on Friday. However, the reason behind Maulana Jahirul's arrest has not yet been disclosed by police. Jamayat leaders of south districts claimed that Maulana Jahirul was out on bail in the case of alleged vandalism in the district. However, Banshkhali police station’s Officer-in-Charge Shafiul Kabir said that he came to know about the Jamaat leader's arrest from social media posts.

Narayanganj metropolitan Jamaat-e-Islami amir Maulana Mainuddin Ahmed and Sonargaon Jatiya Party president Shambhupura UP chairman Abdur Rauf have been arrested in connection with the violence in Narayanganj during Hefazat-e-Islam strike, last month. Narayanganj additional superintendent of police (A Circle) Mehedi Imran Siddiki confirmed this. The UP chairman Abdur Rauf was arrested on Monday afternoon and the Jamaat amir Maulana Mainuddin Ahmed was arrested on Sunday night. Also read: 12 more Hefazat supporters held over Brahmanbaria violence The court has sent the Amir of Jamaat to jail and fixed Wednesday for the remand hearing He has been shown as an accused in three cases of Siddhirganj police station. In one of the cases, the police asked for a 7-day remand. However, Maulana Mainuddin Ahmed's lawyer Main Uddin Mia said he was not an accused in any of the three cases. "Besides, we do not believe that Maulana Mainuddin was involved in the incident mentioned in the statement of case," he added. Also read: Hefazat leader Mamunul Haq finally arrested On March 28, Hefazat-e-Islam called for a nationwide strike. During the strike supporters of Hefazat vandalized and set fire to more than 50 vehicles on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Signboard, Sanarpar and Shimrail areas of Narayanganj. In this incident, 8 separate cases were filed in Siddhirganj police station accusing 132 people and hundreds of unidentified persons. 35 accused have been arrested so far in these cases, police said.

Police on Saturday arrested Jamaat-e-Islami’s Bakalia Thana unit chief Abul Monsur.