Bangladesh prisons flip into jihadist breeding grounds

Members of a number of militancy outfits together with Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB) – native franchise of Islamic State (ISIS), Ansar Al Islam – native franchise of Al Qaeda, Harkatul Jihad (HuJI) and Hizbut Tahrir have been nearly overtly working actions from varied prisons in Bangladesh by “managing” jail authorities. In accordance with media reviews, these militancy outfits have succeeded in accumulating greater than 150,000 cell phone numbers, by which they run jihadist recruitment through the use of varied communication apps together with WhatsApp, Telegram and Sign.

It might be talked about right here that JMB is a neighborhood franchise of Islamic State whereas Ansar Al Islam maintains connections with Al Qaeda. These outfits are producing funds by a number of methods, which embrace international nations, drug commerce and different business actions, together with unlawful hawala enterprise.

Dhaka’s main English newspaper The Every day Star in a report, quoting the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Bangladesh Police  claims, one of many high leaders of Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB), Abu Ruham alias Kunia has been smuggling cell telephones in jails with the assistance of some jail guards. Then the inmates set up encrypted apps like Sign, Telegram, and Wicker Me for communication.

It stated, JMB’s present Ameer, Saudi expatriate and Afghan returnee Abu Bakar, maintains common communication with jailed members of the outfit in Bangladesh.

Though, Lutfur Rahman, jailer of the Kashimpur Excessive Safety jail informed The Every day Star – “There isn’t a chance of militants utilizing cellphones, as we’re sustaining excessive safety contained in the prisons”, in an unique report, Blitz says, infamous militancy outfit Ansar Al Islam (beforehand often known as Ansarullah Bangla Workforce – ABT), a neighborhood franchise of Al Qaeda has intensified drug commerce from Kashimpur Central Jail (Half-1) in Gazipur district in Bangladesh – producing a considerable amount of money on a regular basis, whereas jail authorities play the function of abettor as they get part of the proceeds of such unlawful actions. Related actions are additionally persevering with in Kashimpur-4 Excessive Safety jail.

A reputable supply revealed beautiful details about a significant incident which befell on June 25 at 10:45 am in Kashimpur Central Jail (Half-01). In Room No. 12 of Cell-30 (which is Condemned Cell), condemned prisoner Amit Hassan, son of Jalil and condemned prisoner Alim Reza Khan have been caught red-handed by a crew of jail authorities led by Subedar Yunus and Karim Bhuiyan whereas a Ansar Al Islam member named Masud was speaking along with his commander named Salauddin Salehin in India. Throughout this incident, few extra jail workers specifically Havildar Majnu and prisoners named Mamun and Toriqul.

The supply additional stated, Amit Hassan and Alim Reza have a documented historical past of drug dealings throughout the jail and have been caught by the authorities on a number of occasions and so they additionally have been earlier caught a number of occasions whereas serving to members of Ansar Al Islam in speaking with Salauddin Salehin and different militants of this outfit. However authorities remained suspiciously inactive in taking any punitive measure towards Amit Hassan and Alim Reza. It’s claimed, these condemned prisoners are working such unlawful and harmful actions by “managing” authorities at Kashimpur Central Jail (Half-1). Such involvement of jail authorities in these actions is deeply troubling. Subedars Yunus and Karim are alleged to have been defending Amit and Alim in alternate for bribes. Their inactions and corrupt practices, which embrace harboring militants pose a major risk to nationwide safety of Bangladesh in addition to integrity of the jail system.

The report additional stated, members of Ansar Al Islam have arrange a make-shift mosque in verandah of Cell-30 at Kashimpur Central Jail (Half-1) by putting in loudspeakers that are getting used for azan in addition to issuing jihadist sermons twice a day in addition to throughout Friday prayers. These gatherings enable communication amongst inmates of the condemned cell together with members of Ansar Al Islam. The authorities’ passive or energetic approval of those actions is alarming.

Blitz stated, “The revelations about Ansar Al Islam’s operations inside Kashimpur Central Jail and the complicity of jail authorities pose a extreme risk to nationwide and regional safety. The group’s potential to generate funds by drug trafficking and keep communications with exterior networks necessitates fast and decisive motion.

“The continued risk posed by Ansar Al Islam and its associates calls for a coordinated response from each Bangladeshi and Indian authorities to safeguard nationwide and regional stability. The revelations of corruption, militant actions, and administrative complicity inside Kashimpur Central Jail spotlight the pressing want for reform and accountability to guard the nation from the rising tide of terrorism”.

Commenting on the rising actions of militancy outfits in Bangladesh, safety analyst M A Hossain stated, “Prisons at the moment are appearing as operational headquarters of varied militancy outfits”.

“Convicted BDRs have become neo-militants, working in varied vital roles corresponding to writers and callers. They’ve the scope to maneuver round inside jails and act as messengers to ascertain an inside militant community. These convicted members of BDR pose a risk to the nation’s nationwide safety”, Hossain added.

In January 2023, Speedy Motion Battalion (RAB) sources informed native media, Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAFHS), an outshoot of JMB members, have been radicalized from jails in Bangladesh.

Most significantly, whereas report revealed in Blitz supplied particular data on militants working makeshift mosques inside prisons in addition to speaking with their fellow jihadists exterior the jail, high officers on the Directorate of Jail in Bangladesh remained suspiciously silent on this matter, which evidently proves – actions of militancy teams inside Bangladesh prisons are persevering with below the data of the authorities involved. To forestall militancy teams from implementing terrorist plots, safety companies in Bangladesh, together with RAB have to provoke on-ground investigation into this matter for the sake of nationwide and regional safety.

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