Jamaat chief knew his son was member of militant group: CTTC chief

A senior counter terrorism official said on Thursday that Ameer (chief) of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Shafiqur Rahman has confessed the involvement of his son Dr Rafat Sadiq Saifullah with the new militant outfit Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.

The chief of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Asaduzzaman claimed this at a press conference in the DMP media centre on Thursday, reports UNB.

The CTTC chief said the Jamaat chief was aware that his son was involved in militancy.

“But he remained silent and didn’t inform the law enforcement agencies,” Asaduzzaman said.

“If someone wants to return to normal life after being involved in militancy, the law-enforcement agencies consider an application on behalf of the family. But he (Shafiqur) did not inform the law enforcers and concealed the whole thing,” he said.

Rafat, son of Shafiqur Rahman, along with one of his associates were arrested from Jatrabari area of the city on November 9.

Rafat was a suspected member of Ansar Al Islam and collected some supporters from the militant group to join their new militant outfit Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, the official claimed.

A group of young people, who left homes recently, led by Rafat went to Bandarban from where they went to Sylhet for training from militants with Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), an armed group in the Chattogram Hill Tracts, claimed the CTTC chief.

Shafiqur Rahman was arrested on December 13 for his alleged involvement in militancy.

Police found the evidence of supporting and funding the new militant outfit Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya by the Jamaat chief, said DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq on December 17.

Meanwhile, about the escape of two militants from the Dhaka court, the CTTC chief said on Thursday: “It is not time to say it yet. They’ve not escaped from the country yet.”