Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
Islamic militant group Jamaatul Mujahidin planned to bomb International Mother Language Day programmes in different northern towns, according to a police report.
An open-air concert at Dinajpur Stadium and a mehendi festival at Dinajpur Institute were also their targets, the district police reported to Dhaka yesterday.
The Mujahidin plans were documented in maps and papers seized from their den at the town's Chhoto Gurgola area, the report said.
Seven bombs exploded at the den on February 13 and the activities of the Islamic militants were unearthed.
Swapan Rahman, one of the five organisers of the three-day Rupanjana Mehendi Utsav, said he received anonymous threats over telephone.
"I received at least four such calls and the callers asked me to stop the festival, which they termed anti-Islamic," Swapan said.
Police identified 17 persons who lived in the den. They are Nasim, Ishaq, Ali, Jamil, Sajjad, Imran, Mahmud Sayeed, Nasir, Amjad, Tarik, Yasin, Humayan Kabir, Hasan, Muaz, Murad and Manjur.
Each militant had a code number as revealed in the 'oath-taking letters' of the members.
The letters contained members' names, ages, fathers' names, educational qualifications, marital status and signatures.
The district Awami League Tuesday alleged that the police were trying to hide facts about the blasts.
Gono Forum General Secretary Saifuddin Ahmed Manik claimed at a press conference yesterday morning that police are playing a mysterious role and demanded formation of a judicial probe committee.
The newly formed Anti-fundamentalist Movement brought out a procession yesterday.
The investigating authorities are learnt to be keeping a close watch on the activities of Al-falah Aaam Development Organisation.
The organisation has been targeted because of its links to two people, Hafez Shahidulla and Anwar Sadat, who rented the tin-shed den for the militants.
Local people and police sources said the organisation used to work with Jamaat-e-Islami supporters.
Hafez Shahidullah and his son Anwar often visited the tin-shed and the organisation's office set up in 1989.
It has 54 staffers and about 6,000 members under 317 associations. It is involved in microcredit, water and sanitation, poultry, fisheries and afforestation projects in Ghoraghat, Birol, Hakimpur and Dinajpur Sadar upazilas.
At a press conference yesterday, Momtajul Islam, executive director of Al falah Aaam and a member of the district Jamaat, denied any link to the militants.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Police hunt for 100 members of 2 Islamic militant groups
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
Police in the entire northern region have been frantically looking for some one hundred alleged members of Islamic militant groups--Jamaatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB) and Shahadat-e-Al Hiqma (SAH).
In Dinajpur, police gathered detailed information about the identification of the seven millitants who lived in the tin-shed house at Gurgoba area in the town.
They also got detaits of some 80 members of the JMB and raided several places in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Rangpur, Panchagarh, Nilphamari and Joypurhat in the last three days.
Police, however, could not arrest anybody as the millitants went into hiding following Dinajpur blasts.
Dinajpur police also collected some contact numbers of the millitants from the two mobile phones, recovered from the tin-shed house.
The OC of the Kotwali Thana in Dinajpur said that the bombs and bomb- making chemicals recovered from Gurgoba were similar to those found in Parbatipur upazila in May last.
On May 20, 2002, police arrested eight JMB members Shahabul Islam Sharif, Obaidullah, Lutfar Rahman, Mosharraf Hossain Zulfiqur, Anwar Hossain, Umar Faruk, Abu Bakkar Siddique and Mustakim from Zahanabad area in Parbatipur.
About 25 petrol bombs and some firearms and chemicals were also recovered from their possession.
Mustakim and Zulfiqur, out of the eight, were freed on bail on February 7 last.
The investigation of the Parbatipur incident was yet to be completed, police said.
In Rajshahi, Shahadat-e Al Hiqma (SAH) could not draw police's attention even after its chairman Sayed Kawsar Hussain in an open press conference on February 8 declared the emergence of the millitant party.
Police arrested an alleged SAH member on February 16.
Police filed a case in this regard accusing Shamim, another SAH member Mojibor, and SAH chairman Sayed Kawsar Hussain, but did not mention the party's name.
Shamim was taken on a two-day remand yesterday after police sought a 10-day remand at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.
Police in the entire northern region have been frantically looking for some one hundred alleged members of Islamic militant groups--Jamaatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB) and Shahadat-e-Al Hiqma (SAH).
In Dinajpur, police gathered detailed information about the identification of the seven millitants who lived in the tin-shed house at Gurgoba area in the town.
They also got detaits of some 80 members of the JMB and raided several places in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Rangpur, Panchagarh, Nilphamari and Joypurhat in the last three days.
Police, however, could not arrest anybody as the millitants went into hiding following Dinajpur blasts.
Dinajpur police also collected some contact numbers of the millitants from the two mobile phones, recovered from the tin-shed house.
The OC of the Kotwali Thana in Dinajpur said that the bombs and bomb- making chemicals recovered from Gurgoba were similar to those found in Parbatipur upazila in May last.
On May 20, 2002, police arrested eight JMB members Shahabul Islam Sharif, Obaidullah, Lutfar Rahman, Mosharraf Hossain Zulfiqur, Anwar Hossain, Umar Faruk, Abu Bakkar Siddique and Mustakim from Zahanabad area in Parbatipur.
About 25 petrol bombs and some firearms and chemicals were also recovered from their possession.
Mustakim and Zulfiqur, out of the eight, were freed on bail on February 7 last.
The investigation of the Parbatipur incident was yet to be completed, police said.
In Rajshahi, Shahadat-e Al Hiqma (SAH) could not draw police's attention even after its chairman Sayed Kawsar Hussain in an open press conference on February 8 declared the emergence of the millitant party.
Police arrested an alleged SAH member on February 16.
Police filed a case in this regard accusing Shamim, another SAH member Mojibor, and SAH chairman Sayed Kawsar Hussain, but did not mention the party's name.
Shamim was taken on a two-day remand yesterday after police sought a 10-day remand at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.
एदितोरिअल: Bomb explosion sequel
Bomb explosion sequel
Stop blame-game, catch कल्प्रिट्स
THE powerful bomb blasts in Dinajpur city last Thursday, just a day after the Eid-ul-Azha, raked up some of the memories of a series of explosions in cinema halls during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays a few months back। Though this time, fortunately, the blasts did not cause any widespread damage in terms of human casualties, the scene and the timing of the blasts should not be overlooked। The bombs seemingly went off while being made in a tin shed house which had been allegedly rented by members of an Islamic group called Za'amatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (ZMB). Police also recovered shutter guns, revolver, cartridges, time-bomb circuit and leaflets containing militant messages. It is worthwhile to mention that closely on the heels of Dinajpur blasts, activities of a militant outfit called Shahadat-e-Al-Hikma in Rajshahi have been banned.
There is a belief that the bombs were probably being made to attack some cultural and other programmes that were to be held after Eid celebrations. In fact some organisers said that they had been asked to call off the programmes or face dire consequences. With so many clues available, it should not be difficult for the investigators to get to the bottom of these blasts and track down those responsible. But on a hindsight, we wonder why the police did not allow newsmen near the scene of occurrence and also snatched the camera from a photographer on duty. Not only that, according to a highly placed police official, the organisation had been doing its 'underground work' for more than a year! If they had this information with them, then why did they not take any action against it until now? A high district official's reported expression of relief that the blasts did not occur at a public place only highlighted the local administration's intelligence failure to nip clandestine activities in their bud.
The authorities have not been able to solve any of the previous bomb explosion incidents that had cost many lives and put our image on the line. Because of the blame game the ruling and opposition parties play against each other in such circumstances, the real culprits have always gotten away. But things ought to be different when the failure to solve the mysteries does not only reflect on our forensic abilities but also our image. Our bottomline counsel to the government would be a reiteration of what we have been urging lately: go seek assistance from reputed international intelligence agencies to ferret out the masterminds behind the bomb explosions in the country which have occurred in a pattern.
Stop blame-game, catch कल्प्रिट्स
THE powerful bomb blasts in Dinajpur city last Thursday, just a day after the Eid-ul-Azha, raked up some of the memories of a series of explosions in cinema halls during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays a few months back। Though this time, fortunately, the blasts did not cause any widespread damage in terms of human casualties, the scene and the timing of the blasts should not be overlooked। The bombs seemingly went off while being made in a tin shed house which had been allegedly rented by members of an Islamic group called Za'amatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (ZMB). Police also recovered shutter guns, revolver, cartridges, time-bomb circuit and leaflets containing militant messages. It is worthwhile to mention that closely on the heels of Dinajpur blasts, activities of a militant outfit called Shahadat-e-Al-Hikma in Rajshahi have been banned.
There is a belief that the bombs were probably being made to attack some cultural and other programmes that were to be held after Eid celebrations. In fact some organisers said that they had been asked to call off the programmes or face dire consequences. With so many clues available, it should not be difficult for the investigators to get to the bottom of these blasts and track down those responsible. But on a hindsight, we wonder why the police did not allow newsmen near the scene of occurrence and also snatched the camera from a photographer on duty. Not only that, according to a highly placed police official, the organisation had been doing its 'underground work' for more than a year! If they had this information with them, then why did they not take any action against it until now? A high district official's reported expression of relief that the blasts did not occur at a public place only highlighted the local administration's intelligence failure to nip clandestine activities in their bud.
The authorities have not been able to solve any of the previous bomb explosion incidents that had cost many lives and put our image on the line. Because of the blame game the ruling and opposition parties play against each other in such circumstances, the real culprits have always gotten away. But things ought to be different when the failure to solve the mysteries does not only reflect on our forensic abilities but also our image. Our bottomline counsel to the government would be a reiteration of what we have been urging lately: go seek assistance from reputed international intelligence agencies to ferret out the masterminds behind the bomb explosions in the country which have occurred in a pattern.
Islamic militants planned to bomb concert
Dinajpur people form anti-fundamentalist Committee
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
As locals, political parties and socio-cultural organisations have got together to resist religious fanatics, police yesterday said some Islamic militants had planned to bomb a concert and a social function in the Dinajpur town.
A committee styled "Movement against Terrorism and Fundamentalism" has been formed and will demonstrate in the town tomorrow against Thursday's blasts at a den of Islamic militants -- Jamaatul Mujahidin.
Police unearthed a Mujahidin stronghold at Ghoraghat upazila. They got clues to the hangout from maps and documents found in the debris at the bomb blast site. The bombs went off at a mess where the militants camped, leaving at least 10 persons injured.
The documents revealed that the terrorists were planning to bomb an open-air concert at Dinajpur stadium and a Mehendi Utsab (festival of painting mehendi in hands) in the town.
An army team yesterday detonated the bombs seized from the Mujahidin den at Chhoto Gurgoba.
Locals said the militants lived an isolated life and strangers used to visit the mess. Police recovered firearms, ammunition and bombs from the mess after the blasts.
The seizure list includes four locally made pistols, several hundred bullets, bomb-making equipment, electric circuits, batteries, remote controls, petrol bombs and chemicals.
They also found money receipts of the Jaamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh, books on armed combat, list of members, commando dresses, mobile phones and documents.
One such document reads: "Sayakh (sir), we are in need of the list of muadkars (fighter-members) that was given to you."
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
As locals, political parties and socio-cultural organisations have got together to resist religious fanatics, police yesterday said some Islamic militants had planned to bomb a concert and a social function in the Dinajpur town.
A committee styled "Movement against Terrorism and Fundamentalism" has been formed and will demonstrate in the town tomorrow against Thursday's blasts at a den of Islamic militants -- Jamaatul Mujahidin.
Police unearthed a Mujahidin stronghold at Ghoraghat upazila. They got clues to the hangout from maps and documents found in the debris at the bomb blast site. The bombs went off at a mess where the militants camped, leaving at least 10 persons injured.
The documents revealed that the terrorists were planning to bomb an open-air concert at Dinajpur stadium and a Mehendi Utsab (festival of painting mehendi in hands) in the town.
An army team yesterday detonated the bombs seized from the Mujahidin den at Chhoto Gurgoba.
Locals said the militants lived an isolated life and strangers used to visit the mess. Police recovered firearms, ammunition and bombs from the mess after the blasts.
The seizure list includes four locally made pistols, several hundred bullets, bomb-making equipment, electric circuits, batteries, remote controls, petrol bombs and chemicals.
They also found money receipts of the Jaamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh, books on armed combat, list of members, commando dresses, mobile phones and documents.
One such document reads: "Sayakh (sir), we are in need of the list of muadkars (fighter-members) that was given to you."
Islamic militants planned to bomb concert
Dinajpur people form anti-fundamentalist Committee
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
As locals, political parties and socio-cultural organisations have got together to resist religious fanatics, police yesterday said some Islamic militants had planned to bomb a concert and a social function in the Dinajpur town.
A committee styled "Movement against Terrorism and Fundamentalism" has been formed and will demonstrate in the town tomorrow against Thursday's blasts at a den of Islamic militants -- Jamaatul Mujahidin.
Police unearthed a Mujahidin stronghold at Ghoraghat upazila. They got clues to the hangout from maps and documents found in the debris at the bomb blast site. The bombs went off at a mess where the militants camped, leaving at least 10 persons injured.
The documents revealed that the terrorists were planning to bomb an open-air concert at Dinajpur stadium and a Mehendi Utsab (festival of painting mehendi in hands) in the town.
An army team yesterday detonated the bombs seized from the Mujahidin den at Chhoto Gurgoba.
Locals said the militants lived an isolated life and strangers used to visit the mess. Police recovered firearms, ammunition and bombs from the mess after the blasts.
The seizure list includes four locally made pistols, several hundred bullets, bomb-making equipment, electric circuits, batteries, remote controls, petrol bombs and chemicals.
They also found money receipts of the Jaamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh, books on armed combat, list of members, commando dresses, mobile phones and documents.
One such document reads: "Sayakh (sir), we are in need of the list of muadkars (fighter-members) that was given to you."
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
As locals, political parties and socio-cultural organisations have got together to resist religious fanatics, police yesterday said some Islamic militants had planned to bomb a concert and a social function in the Dinajpur town.
A committee styled "Movement against Terrorism and Fundamentalism" has been formed and will demonstrate in the town tomorrow against Thursday's blasts at a den of Islamic militants -- Jamaatul Mujahidin.
Police unearthed a Mujahidin stronghold at Ghoraghat upazila. They got clues to the hangout from maps and documents found in the debris at the bomb blast site. The bombs went off at a mess where the militants camped, leaving at least 10 persons injured.
The documents revealed that the terrorists were planning to bomb an open-air concert at Dinajpur stadium and a Mehendi Utsab (festival of painting mehendi in hands) in the town.
An army team yesterday detonated the bombs seized from the Mujahidin den at Chhoto Gurgoba.
Locals said the militants lived an isolated life and strangers used to visit the mess. Police recovered firearms, ammunition and bombs from the mess after the blasts.
The seizure list includes four locally made pistols, several hundred bullets, bomb-making equipment, electric circuits, batteries, remote controls, petrol bombs and chemicals.
They also found money receipts of the Jaamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh, books on armed combat, list of members, commando dresses, mobile phones and documents.
One such document reads: "Sayakh (sir), we are in need of the list of muadkars (fighter-members) that was given to you."
Police tight-lipped, locals suspicious
Anwar Ali, राजशाही
Police are still tight-lipped about the investigation into Thursday's bomb blasts in Dinajpur, which raised suspicion among locals।
The local people wonder how the Jamaatul Mujahideen, an Islamist outfit, operated in Dinajpur for long despite the presence of detectives and police and the recent army-led Operation Clean Heart.
"We are doing our best but don't want to reveal our findings for the sake of investigation," said Superintendent of Police SM Kamal Hossain.
Seven powerful bombs went off in a tin-shed in Gurgola, Dinajpur, on February 13, leaving five people injured.
Meanwhile, three persons arrested in connection with the bomb blasts were sent to the joint interrogation cell in Dhaka yesterday.
Earlier, police produced Faruk Hossain and Habibur Rahman, teachers of the Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa Islamia Salafia Madrassah, and 22-year-old Badal before a first class magistrate's court that granted a ten-day remand for them each.
The madrassah teachers might have named some of the ruling alliance high-ups as patrons of the Islamist outfit, said a policeman on condition of anonymity.
Police are yet to trace the two injured members of the organisation, who fled after Thursday's explosions.
The two went into hiding after they had undergone treatment at the Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) for eight hours, said sources in the hospital.
A group of five brought the two to Rangpur town in a white microbus and took them to the Desh Clinic. Later, they were admitted to the RMCH at around 10:45am.
The hospital registered them as Abu Bakkar, 25, son of Enayetur Rahman and Tariqul, 40, son of Abul Hossain.
They were kept on the third floor under the unit No. 3 of the surgery ward No. 10.
Hospital records say their injuries were from bomb blasts. But Abu Bakkar and Tariqul told on-duty doctors that they sustained burns from a gas cylinder blast.
The madrassah teacher, Faruk, is the ringleader of the outfit that has about 25 activists and several hideouts.
Other leaders Kari Mohammad Obaidullah, Kaji Shahidullah and Anwar Sadat also went into hiding.
Shahid Shukrana, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Kotwali Police Station, believes the group was involved in explosives trade. Some 500 empty bottles were recovered from the tin-shed, he said.
The Dinajpur explosions are not isolated and all bomb blasts in the country are interlinked, said the local Awami League lawmaker, Mustafizur Rahman.
Leaders of the district Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) declined to comment.
The amir of the district Jamaat-e-Islami, Aftab Uddin Mollah, said his party has no link with the bomb explosion.
Police are still tight-lipped about the investigation into Thursday's bomb blasts in Dinajpur, which raised suspicion among locals।
The local people wonder how the Jamaatul Mujahideen, an Islamist outfit, operated in Dinajpur for long despite the presence of detectives and police and the recent army-led Operation Clean Heart.
"We are doing our best but don't want to reveal our findings for the sake of investigation," said Superintendent of Police SM Kamal Hossain.
Seven powerful bombs went off in a tin-shed in Gurgola, Dinajpur, on February 13, leaving five people injured.
Meanwhile, three persons arrested in connection with the bomb blasts were sent to the joint interrogation cell in Dhaka yesterday.
Earlier, police produced Faruk Hossain and Habibur Rahman, teachers of the Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa Islamia Salafia Madrassah, and 22-year-old Badal before a first class magistrate's court that granted a ten-day remand for them each.
The madrassah teachers might have named some of the ruling alliance high-ups as patrons of the Islamist outfit, said a policeman on condition of anonymity.
Police are yet to trace the two injured members of the organisation, who fled after Thursday's explosions.
The two went into hiding after they had undergone treatment at the Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) for eight hours, said sources in the hospital.
A group of five brought the two to Rangpur town in a white microbus and took them to the Desh Clinic. Later, they were admitted to the RMCH at around 10:45am.
The hospital registered them as Abu Bakkar, 25, son of Enayetur Rahman and Tariqul, 40, son of Abul Hossain.
They were kept on the third floor under the unit No. 3 of the surgery ward No. 10.
Hospital records say their injuries were from bomb blasts. But Abu Bakkar and Tariqul told on-duty doctors that they sustained burns from a gas cylinder blast.
The madrassah teacher, Faruk, is the ringleader of the outfit that has about 25 activists and several hideouts.
Other leaders Kari Mohammad Obaidullah, Kaji Shahidullah and Anwar Sadat also went into hiding.
Shahid Shukrana, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Kotwali Police Station, believes the group was involved in explosives trade. Some 500 empty bottles were recovered from the tin-shed, he said.
The Dinajpur explosions are not isolated and all bomb blasts in the country are interlinked, said the local Awami League lawmaker, Mustafizur Rahman.
Leaders of the district Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) declined to comment.
The amir of the district Jamaat-e-Islami, Aftab Uddin Mollah, said his party has no link with the bomb explosion.
Red alert in 16 dists, madrassahs under police watch
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
A 'red alert' was issued to police stations and outposts in 16 districts under Rajshahi Police Range yesterday following Thursday's bomb blasts at Dinajpur.
Detective police have been asked to keep close watch on all madrassahs and Islamic organisations in the region, police sources said.
Plainclothes police teams have fanned out to nab two of the injured persons who fled away in a waiting white microbus after seven powerful bombs exploded in a tin-shed house at Chhoto Gurgola in the town. Three persons were critically injured.
Dinajpur Police Superintendent S M Kamal Hossain told The Daily Star that "important information" was gathered during interrogation of the two madrassah teachers arrested in connections with the blasts.
The two -- Hafez Habibur Rahman alias Shafiqul Islam and Faruk Hossain are now on three days' remand. They are teachers of Hazrat Aayisa Siddiqa (R) Salafia Islamia Girls' Madrassah in the area.
Badal, another person critically injured in the blasts, is now under treatment at the Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
A source in the investigation team said, "Any major development in the investigation is unlikely till the condition of Badal improves to allow interrogation or any other resident of the tin-shed house in caught".
A three-member CID team from Dhaka, led by ASP Atiqur Rahman Munshi, and a police team led by Kotwali thana OC Shahid Shukrama are jointly investigating the bomb blasts.
It is suspected that the persons responsible for the incident belong to Za'amatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (ZMB), allegedly an Islamic extremist group.
The organisation has been doing its "underground work" in the region for more than a year now, said a highly placed police official.
A heavy contingent of armed police is still cordoning the house.
In October last, one Hafez Shahidullah of Kamar Kachai area in the town and one Kari Obaidul, an official of Al Falah Alam (universal) Development Organisation, rented a ground floor of a three storied building in Chhoto Gurgola area and opened the madrassah.
They also rented the two-room tin-shed house to lodge teachers of the madrassah. At least seven teachers were residing but many others used to stay there occasionally, local people said.
They said residents of the tin-shed house hardly mixed with them. They even did not go to nearby stores to buy essentials, they said.
"They were above all suspicion as they used to recite from the holy Quran always and acted like typical Islamic clerics," a house owner in the area said.
The presence of ZMB in the region came to light on May 20 last year when police arrested eight of its members including 'commander' Shahabul Islam from Jahauabad in Parbatipur in Dinajpur.
Police had also recovered 25 petrol bombs, ten audio cassettes, six subscription collection receipt books, four diaries and three registry books from them. The eight are in custody and investigation is on but no clue could be found, police sources said.
A 'red alert' was issued to police stations and outposts in 16 districts under Rajshahi Police Range yesterday following Thursday's bomb blasts at Dinajpur.
Detective police have been asked to keep close watch on all madrassahs and Islamic organisations in the region, police sources said.
Plainclothes police teams have fanned out to nab two of the injured persons who fled away in a waiting white microbus after seven powerful bombs exploded in a tin-shed house at Chhoto Gurgola in the town. Three persons were critically injured.
Dinajpur Police Superintendent S M Kamal Hossain told The Daily Star that "important information" was gathered during interrogation of the two madrassah teachers arrested in connections with the blasts.
The two -- Hafez Habibur Rahman alias Shafiqul Islam and Faruk Hossain are now on three days' remand. They are teachers of Hazrat Aayisa Siddiqa (R) Salafia Islamia Girls' Madrassah in the area.
Badal, another person critically injured in the blasts, is now under treatment at the Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
A source in the investigation team said, "Any major development in the investigation is unlikely till the condition of Badal improves to allow interrogation or any other resident of the tin-shed house in caught".
A three-member CID team from Dhaka, led by ASP Atiqur Rahman Munshi, and a police team led by Kotwali thana OC Shahid Shukrama are jointly investigating the bomb blasts.
It is suspected that the persons responsible for the incident belong to Za'amatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (ZMB), allegedly an Islamic extremist group.
The organisation has been doing its "underground work" in the region for more than a year now, said a highly placed police official.
A heavy contingent of armed police is still cordoning the house.
In October last, one Hafez Shahidullah of Kamar Kachai area in the town and one Kari Obaidul, an official of Al Falah Alam (universal) Development Organisation, rented a ground floor of a three storied building in Chhoto Gurgola area and opened the madrassah.
They also rented the two-room tin-shed house to lodge teachers of the madrassah. At least seven teachers were residing but many others used to stay there occasionally, local people said.
They said residents of the tin-shed house hardly mixed with them. They even did not go to nearby stores to buy essentials, they said.
"They were above all suspicion as they used to recite from the holy Quran always and acted like typical Islamic clerics," a house owner in the area said.
The presence of ZMB in the region came to light on May 20 last year when police arrested eight of its members including 'commander' Shahabul Islam from Jahauabad in Parbatipur in Dinajpur.
Police had also recovered 25 petrol bombs, ten audio cassettes, six subscription collection receipt books, four diaries and three registry books from them. The eight are in custody and investigation is on but no clue could be found, police sources said.
Series of blasts in Dinajpur: 3 hurt, arms recovered
Anwar Ali, Dinajpur
At least seven powerful bombs went off one after another inside a tin-shed house in Chhoto Gurgola area in the town on Thursday morning, leaving three persons injured।
Police said they later recovered from the house three shutter guns, one revolver, 13 cartridges, three bombs, some bullets of 303 rifle.
Of the injured, Badal, 18, was rescued by neighbours and admitted to Dinajpur Sadar Hospital with critical burn injuries on his face and lower part of body, police and hospital sources said. Some sources said he was a rickshaw-puller and some others said he was a madrassah student.
The neighbours said, hearing the explosions, they came out and saw two young men with their clothes blood-stained ran out of the house, got into a waiting white microbus and sped away. They could not be identified.
The house caught fire after the explosions that panicked residents in the area. The fire service put out the fire.
Some seven madrassah teachers and students had been living in the two-room house for the last several months on rent, the neighbours claimed.
Police cordoned off the house and did not allow newsmen to
At least seven powerful bombs went off one after another inside a tin-shed house in Chhoto Gurgola area in the town on Thursday morning, leaving three persons injured।
Police said they later recovered from the house three shutter guns, one revolver, 13 cartridges, three bombs, some bullets of 303 rifle.
Of the injured, Badal, 18, was rescued by neighbours and admitted to Dinajpur Sadar Hospital with critical burn injuries on his face and lower part of body, police and hospital sources said. Some sources said he was a rickshaw-puller and some others said he was a madrassah student.
The neighbours said, hearing the explosions, they came out and saw two young men with their clothes blood-stained ran out of the house, got into a waiting white microbus and sped away. They could not be identified.
The house caught fire after the explosions that panicked residents in the area. The fire service put out the fire.
Some seven madrassah teachers and students had been living in the two-room house for the last several months on rent, the neighbours claimed.
Police cordoned off the house and did not allow newsmen to
Target movie theatres
Roving Correspondent, Natore
Cinema halls were the targets of terrorists nearly a year ago.
In January this year, a powerful time bomb was found for the first time on the first floor of the Rosy Cinema Hall in Natore town. Natore police then defused the bomb then but are yet to get any clues to who had planted the explosive device and why.
On the same day, two similar bombs were discovered at two other cinemas at Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. Both the cases have so far remained unresolved.
On the night of May 1, an explosion in the Kiron Cinema Hall and subsequent stampede left a schoolboy killed and some 25 others injured at Catchkoir in Gurudaspur upazila in Natore.
However, the authorities did not investigate the incidents and no measure was taken to avert such incidents in future.
"The spate of bomb blasts in cinema halls is quite a new phenomenon in the country. It needs to be seriously dealt with as some organised groups with a countrywide network are involved in it," a top police official said preferring anonymity.
The perpetrators of such incidents in this region did not leave enough clues to be identified. Yet our detectives are trying to find them out," he said.
"Our preliminary findings are that those incidents were pre-planned to scare the cinema-goers but we could not reach any conclusion as we have no further information or evidences regarding the incidents," said a senior police official of Rajshahi range police.
Faruk Ahmed, officer in charge of the Natore Police Station and investigation officer of the incident of bomb blast at the Rozy Cinema Hall, told this correspondent yesterday that the bomb found in the cinema was powerful but its timer was not working.
"It is clear to us that the perpetrators of the incident had no destructive intention but to scare people," he said.
About the Kiron cinema blast in Gurudaspur, Nazrul Islam, police superintendent of Natore district, said police could not make any headway in the Kiron cinema case as no further information or evidences were available.
On September 28, three people were killed and some others injured in two simultaneous explosions at a cinema hall and a circus show in Satkhira. And the latest incident in Mymensingh claimed 17 lives and injured some 200 persons.
After the Mymensingh cinema blast, Rajshahi range police yesterday asked all police stations and police outposts in 16 districts of the region to beef up security at all public places, cinema halls in particular.
From now on the cinema hall owners will be accountable for the security of the cinema viewers, a notice in this regard said.
It also said the cinema owners will arrange a thorough search for bombs or other destructive elements inside the halls. Besides, before the start of every show, the hall authorities will certify that there is nothing destructive in the halls. Plainclothesmen will be on guard at all important public places, it further said.
"We have decided to hold the cinema hall owners responsible for such incidents as it is difficult for police to go for checks at the halls before every show...if they (owners) can certify that their halls are secure, they can run the shows," said Anisur Rahman, police superintendent of Rajshahi district.
Replying to a question, Rahman admitted that it was difficult to launch a 'thorough search for bombs' due to lack of metal detectors. There is only one metal detector at every district headquarters in the region, he informed.
Cinema halls were the targets of terrorists nearly a year ago.
In January this year, a powerful time bomb was found for the first time on the first floor of the Rosy Cinema Hall in Natore town. Natore police then defused the bomb then but are yet to get any clues to who had planted the explosive device and why.
On the same day, two similar bombs were discovered at two other cinemas at Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. Both the cases have so far remained unresolved.
On the night of May 1, an explosion in the Kiron Cinema Hall and subsequent stampede left a schoolboy killed and some 25 others injured at Catchkoir in Gurudaspur upazila in Natore.
However, the authorities did not investigate the incidents and no measure was taken to avert such incidents in future.
"The spate of bomb blasts in cinema halls is quite a new phenomenon in the country. It needs to be seriously dealt with as some organised groups with a countrywide network are involved in it," a top police official said preferring anonymity.
The perpetrators of such incidents in this region did not leave enough clues to be identified. Yet our detectives are trying to find them out," he said.
"Our preliminary findings are that those incidents were pre-planned to scare the cinema-goers but we could not reach any conclusion as we have no further information or evidences regarding the incidents," said a senior police official of Rajshahi range police.
Faruk Ahmed, officer in charge of the Natore Police Station and investigation officer of the incident of bomb blast at the Rozy Cinema Hall, told this correspondent yesterday that the bomb found in the cinema was powerful but its timer was not working.
"It is clear to us that the perpetrators of the incident had no destructive intention but to scare people," he said.
About the Kiron cinema blast in Gurudaspur, Nazrul Islam, police superintendent of Natore district, said police could not make any headway in the Kiron cinema case as no further information or evidences were available.
On September 28, three people were killed and some others injured in two simultaneous explosions at a cinema hall and a circus show in Satkhira. And the latest incident in Mymensingh claimed 17 lives and injured some 200 persons.
After the Mymensingh cinema blast, Rajshahi range police yesterday asked all police stations and police outposts in 16 districts of the region to beef up security at all public places, cinema halls in particular.
From now on the cinema hall owners will be accountable for the security of the cinema viewers, a notice in this regard said.
It also said the cinema owners will arrange a thorough search for bombs or other destructive elements inside the halls. Besides, before the start of every show, the hall authorities will certify that there is nothing destructive in the halls. Plainclothesmen will be on guard at all important public places, it further said.
"We have decided to hold the cinema hall owners responsible for such incidents as it is difficult for police to go for checks at the halls before every show...if they (owners) can certify that their halls are secure, they can run the shows," said Anisur Rahman, police superintendent of Rajshahi district.
Replying to a question, Rahman admitted that it was difficult to launch a 'thorough search for bombs' due to lack of metal detectors. There is only one metal detector at every district headquarters in the region, he informed.
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