Hacked  By  r4dBlack

DHAKA: Three outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) men, including its Chittagong divisional commander Javed Iqbal, were yesterday sentenced to jail in Chittagong in a case under Explosive Substances Act, while a Shibir leader was taken on remand in Chandpur the same day for his alleged link with the militant outfit.

Chittagong Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Md Shafiqul Karim awarded 20 years imprisonment to Javed Iqbal alias Mohammad and 15 years to Naimuzzaman alias Sohag and Rafiqul Islam each, according to our staff correspondent.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Javed Iqbal and Naimuzzaman at a house at South Kattoli under Pahartali Police Station on December 14, 2005 and seized explosives from their possession. Rab official Abdul Hannan filed a case with Pahartali Police Station the same day under Explosive Substances Act.

Later, police pressed charges in the case against JMB chief Abdur Rahman, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, JMB operation wing chief Ataur Rahman Sunny, Zahidul Islam alias Boma Mizan, Javed Iqbal alias Mohammad, Naimuzzaman alias Zafar alias Sohag and Rafiqul Islam. Of them, Abdur Rahman, Bangla Bhai and Sunny were executed in March 2007 in Jhalakathi judges' murder case.

After examining 25 witnesses, tribunal judge yesterday pronounced the verdict. The court acquitted Boma Mizan as charge brought against him could not be proved.

In Chandpur, Haimchar upazila Islami Chhatra Shibir President Iqbal Hossain, arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement with JMB activities, was taken on a three-day remand yesterday, reports a correspondent.

Police produced Iqbal in Chandpur Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court with a prayer for seven days' remand. Judge Md Mozammel Haque granted a three-day remand for the Shibir leader.

Police said Iqbal was carrying out JMB activities staying in an orphanage adjacent to Faruq-e-Azam Dakhil Madrasa at Algi Bazar in Haimchar upazila and recruiting members for the outfit at the madrasa.

Abdus Samad, officer-in-charge of Haimchar Police Station, said on receiving the information, they raided the madrasa, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shawgatul Alam, on Sunday but could not arrest Iqbal as he fled the scene, sensing the presence of the law enforcers.

When asked, Madrasa Superintendent Md Wali Ullah, also the secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami upazila unit, claimed Iqbal is a Dakhil examinee from the madrasa.

On checking the students' attendance register, police found the superintendent's claim to be false and asked the madrasa superintendent to hand over Iqbal to the police within 24 hours.

Later, the law enforcers searched Iqbal's room at Siddiqui Akbar Orphanage near the madrasa and seized some important papers from there.

As superintendent Wali Ullah handed Iqbal over to Haimchar Police Station on Monday, police arrested him under Section 54.

Police said Iqbal Hossain, son of Abul Hossain of Nijmehar village under Shahrasti upazila, is a first year student of Islamic studies at Chandpur Government College. He told police that he was carrying out Shibir activities in the area at the directive of the party high command.

Madrasa superintendent Wali Ullah claimed that Iqbal was carrying out organisational activities in the area as president of upazila Chhatra Shibir and was not involved with JMB activities.