Militant teams brazenly run actions inside Bangladesh jail

Current investigative reviews have unveiled alarming particulars concerning the operations of militant teams throughout the jail system in Bangladesh. Two notable reviews, one from our Publication BLiTZ and one other from The Day by day Star, spotlight the escalating menace posed by Ansar Al Islam, Hizbut Tahrir, Al-Shahadat and JMB (Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh). These teams are utilizing the nation’s prisons not simply as a hideout however as a base for coordinating terrorist actions and producing funds. The revelations name for instant and decisive actions to safeguard nationwide and regional safety.

On June 21-22, 2024, through the go to of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India, an settlement was signed granting India rail transit. This occasion has stirred political unrest, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP) and its Islamist allies launching a propaganda marketing campaign towards Indian institutions in Bangladesh. In keeping with our earlier BLiTZ report, Ansar Al Islam, a militant group with Al Qaeda connections, is plotting terrorist assaults concentrating on Indian enterprise institutions in Bangladesh.

One of the vital disturbing revelations is the group’s involvement in drug trafficking from Kashimpur Central Jail (Half-1) in Gazipur district. The report particulars a significant incident on June 25, the place condemned prisoners Amit Hassan and Alim Reza Khan have been caught red-handed by jail authorities whereas speaking with an Ansar Al Islam commander in India. The involvement of jail workers, together with Subedars Yunus and Karim Bhuiyan, who allegedly defend these prisoners in alternate for bribes, additional complicates the problem.

The complicity of jail authorities is a crucial issue within the ongoing militant actions throughout the prisons. Senior Superintendent Subrata Kumar Bala, who oversees Kashimpur-1 Central Jail and Kashimpur-4 Excessive Safety Jail, has been repeatedly posted to those positions over time. This recurring appointment, reportedly influenced by an influential Awami League chief, has raised suspicions concerning the facilitation of unlawful actions throughout the jail. The safety offered by this political chief has enabled the continuation of drug trafficking and communication with exterior militant networks.

The militants have even arrange a makeshift mosque within the verandah of Cell-30, utilizing loudspeakers for azan and jihadist sermons. These gatherings enable communication amongst inmates, furthering the attain of Ansar Al Islam throughout the jail. The authorities’ passive or lively approval of those actions is alarming and signifies a extreme breach within the integrity of the jail system.

The Day by day Star, on July 4, 2024, reported that Neo JMB, the IS-inspired militant group liable for the 2016 Holey Artisan Café assault, has been utilizing cell telephones from prisons for communication and operations. In keeping with a current police intelligence report, the group is growing its funds via international donations and agricultural earnings.

One of many high leaders of Neo JMB, Abu Ruham alias Kunia, has been smuggling cell telephones into jails with the assistance of some jail guards. The inmates then set up encrypted apps like Sign, Telegram, and Wicker Me for safe communication, reported The Day by day Star.

In keeping with The Day by day Star, Md Asaduzzaman, chief of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit, confirmed that militants in jail at the moment are below elevated surveillance. Nonetheless, the continual smuggling of telephones and monetary assist via cell financing providers point out that the issue is way from being resolved.

The revelations about Ansar Al Islam and Neo JMB’s operations throughout the jail system are deeply troubling. These actions not solely pose a extreme menace to nationwide safety but in addition spotlight the pervasive corruption throughout the jail system. The flexibility of those teams to generate funds via drug trafficking and preserve communications with exterior networks necessitates instant and decisive motion.

The continuing menace calls for a coordinated response from each Bangladeshi and Indian authorities. The propaganda marketing campaign launched by BNP and its Islamist allies, coupled with the militant actions inside prisons, underscores the necessity for enhanced intelligence and counterterrorism measures. The complicity of jail authorities, as highlighted within the reviews, requires pressing reforms and accountability throughout the jail system.

Addressing the menace posed by Ansar Al Islam and Neo JMB requires a multifaceted strategy. Firstly, there should be an instantaneous crackdown on corrupt jail officers who facilitate these unlawful actions. Enhanced surveillance and strict monitoring of jail communications are important to curb the smuggling of cell telephones and different contraband gadgets.

Secondly, there needs to be a radical investigation into the political affect that protects corrupt officers throughout the jail system. Holding these people accountable is essential to restoring the integrity of the jail administration.

Thirdly, a coordinated effort between Bangladeshi and Indian intelligence and counterterrorism companies is critical to dismantle the networks of those militant teams. Sharing intelligence and conducting joint operations may help in neutralizing the menace posed by these teams.

The revelations about Ansar Al Islam and Neo JMB’s operations inside Bangladesh’s prisons spotlight a big menace to nationwide and regional safety. The involvement of jail authorities and political safety of corrupt officers exacerbates the issue, necessitating instant and decisive motion. A coordinated response from each Bangladeshi and Indian authorities, coupled with stringent reforms and accountability throughout the jail system, is important to safeguarding nationwide and regional stability.

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