Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)

Origin

The Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is reported to have been formed in 1998 in the Jamalpur district.

While the exact origin is shrouded in mystery, its existence came to notice on May 20, 2002 with the arrest of eight Islamist militants at Parbatipur in the Dinajpur district along with 25 petrol bombs and documents detailing the outfit's activities. Subsequently, on February 13, 2003, the JMB is reported to have carried out seven bomb explosions in the Chhoto Gurgola area of Dinajpur town in which three persons were wounded.

Some reports suggest that it is the youth front of the Al Mujahideen, an organisation allegedly formed in the mid-1990s but whose existence is still ambiguous, whereas others indicate that the JMB is another name for the vigilante Islamist group the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB).

The JMB was proscribed by the Government on February 23, 2005.

Objectives and Ideology

The Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Party of the Mujahideen) aims at establishing the rule of Islam in Bangladesh through an armed struggle. The outfit is opposed to the establishment of democracy and calls for the conduct of government under Islamic law.

On August 17, 2005, while claiming responsibility for the serial blasts through leaflets, in Bangla and Arabic, left at the site of the explosions across the country, the JMB said: "We're the soldiers of Allah. We've taken up arms for the implementation of Allah's law the way Prophet, Sahabis and heroic Mujahideen have done for centuries… It is time to implement Islamic law in Bangladesh. There is no future with man-made law."

The JMB said the blasts were its "third call" to establish Islamic rule in Bangladesh. "If ignored and [if] our people are arrested or persecuted, Jama'atul Mujahideen will take the counter-action," the leaflets said. They also warned the United States and Britain against occupation of Muslim lands: "It is also to warn Bush and Blair to vacate Muslim countries, or to face Muslim upsurge."

Espousing a radical variant of Islam, the outfit is opposed to cultural functions, cinema halls, shrines and NGOs.

One of the objectives of JMB is to free Muslims of the influence of 'anti-Islam forces' and practices that brought women out of their houses.

Leadership and Growth

In the early hours of March 30, 2007, six top militants of the JMB, including its 'supreme commander' Maulana Abdur Rahman and second-in-command, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai were executed in different jails in Bangladesh. The other senior leaders of the outfit who were hanged were Majlish-e-Shura (the highest decision-making body) members Abdul Awal, Khaled Saifullah and Ataur Rahman Sunny and suicide squad member Iftekhar Hasan Al-Mamun. All of them had been pronounced guilty by the Supreme Court of involvement in the killing of two judges in Jhalakathi in November 2005. On March 4, 2007, President Iajuddin Ahmed had rejected the mercy petitions filed by the convicted militants paving the way for their execution.

Prior to the March 30, 2007 execution, JMB was led by a triumvirate consisting of its ‘supreme commander’ Abdur Rahman, a former activist of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai of the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) and Muhammad Asadullah al-Ghalib, an Arabic language lecturer at the Rajshahi University and chief of the Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (AHAB). Of these, Maulana Rahman was projected as spiritual leader of the organisation while Bangla Bhai functioned as the second-in-command and the outfit’s 'operational chief'. On March 2, 2006, Abdur Rahman, surrendered after a 34-hour siege on his East Shaplabagh hideout in Sylhet City, 200 kilometres northeast of capital Dhaka. Arrested along with Rahman were his wife, sons, daughters, grandson, domestic helps and some associates. Four days later, on March 6, 2006 the JMB number two Siddiqul Islam hiding in a tin-shed in the remote Rampur village under the Muktagachha sub-district of Mymensingh, 120 kilometres north of Dhaka, was wounded and captured, after skirmishes with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Asadullah al-Ghalib had been arrested since February 23, 2005.

Operational details of the outfit were overseen by a seven member Majlish-e-Shura. Apart from Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam, the Shura consisted of Ataur Rahman Sunny (arrested on December 14, 2005), Abdul Awal (arrested on November 18, 2005), Rakib Hasan Russel alias Hafez Mohammad (arrested on February 28, 2006), Faruq Hossain alias Khaled Saifullah, ‘commander’ of the Rangpur-Dinajpur region (arrested on April 26, 2006) and Salahuddin alias Salehin, ‘commander’ of the Sylhet-Mymensingh region (arrested on April 25, 2006).

Some of the other leaders of the outfit were Maulana Akram-uzzaman, Abdur Rouf, Maulana Shahidul Islam, Maulana Mahadi, Sheikh Maulana Noman, Maulana Manjur Ahmed, most of whom were reportedly trained in Afghanistan. Maulana Fariduddin Masud, a former Director of the Government-run Islamic Foundation, is also suspected to be a top leader of the JMB. He was arrested on August 22, 2005 from a London-bound flight at the Zia International Airport in Dhaka.

The JMB has grown primarily due to the nonchalant attitude of the Government and partly because of the official promotion. For instance, the eight JMB cadres arrested from Parbatipur on May 30, 2002 were subsequently released on bail and investigations were stalled after the case documents went missing in a "mysterious" fire at the Parbatipur police station.

The outfit's growth received a boost after the Bangladesh National Party-led coalition Government under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia came to power in 2001. Many members of the JMB and JMJB have invariably been found to be cadres of the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a partner in the ruling coalition. Such unbroken linkages with the Jamaat-e-Islami have helped the outfit immensely not just in terms of unhindered growth but also in terms providing relief in the event of intermittent official action. Following the August 17, 2005 developments, during which the outfit carried out serial blasts in 63 of the 64 Districts in the country, international pressure grew on the government forcing it to take action against the outfit.

Prior to that, the JMB, for long, promoted the building of mosques and Madrassas (seminaries), some of which have developed into effective training centres for the outfit's radical mobilisation. For example, with assistance from Ghalib, JMB cadres used the facilities of some 700 mosques built across Bangladesh by the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society, which is based in Kuwait.

In 2003, decoded diaries of some arrested Islamist militants is reported to have revealed that the outfit had training camps in 57 districts with bases at the Ahle Hadith mosques and seminaries. "They have well-equipped training stations in all the 16 northern and some southern districts, and small stations in other districts where they operate," the then Inspector of Joypurhat Criminal Investigation Department, Khalilur Rahman, had told The Daily Star.

Although the outfit was formed in Jamalpur district, its terrorist campaign is based in the North Bengal region, Daily Star reported on August 28, 2005. Rahman's relatives in the Dinajpur and Rajshahi districts helped him expand his organisational activities in these districts.

According to Growing Fanaticism and Extremism in Bangladesh: Shades of Taliban, published by the opposition Awami League, the JMB is active in the Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Jamalpur and Bagerhat districts.

Cadre and Organisation

The outfit is known to maintain about 10,000 fulltime and 100,000 part-time cadres. Reports also suggest that there are approximately 10 lakh trainees of the outfit.

The cadres belong to a varied spectrum of the society, including teachers of universities, Madrassas and ordinary people. There are different wings of the outfit, including those related to finance, public relations, external links and the publicity and recruitment wing, which is reportedly the largest of them all. While a relatively small wing looks after armed training, the intelligence wing has cells in different political and non-governmental organisations.

Finances

The JMB has reportedly received funds from individual donors in countries like Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Several international NGOs such as the Kuwait-based Revival of Islamic Heritage and Doulatul Kuwait, UAE-based Al Fuzaira, Khairul Ansar Al Khairia, Bahrain-based Doulatul Bahrain and the Saudi Arabia-based Al Haramaine Islamic Institute have provided, over the years, a generous amount of funding to the outfit.

The JMB and its leaders are reported to have invested in a large number of shrimp farms and cold storages in the south-western region of Bangladesh. The outfit is also alleged to be involved in activities such as money laundering which ensures a steady flow of finances to its coffers. Funds through the Hundi (illegal money laundering mechanism) channel are generated through operatives in places such as Dhaka, Jessore and Chittagong.

JMB cadres and students of Madrassas affiliated to the outfit collect tolls regularly for running the organisation, according to Daily Star.

JMB leader Asadullah Ghalib, who is also the Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh chief, after his arrest on February 23, 2005, admitted to have spent 'crores of taka' for building mosques and seminaries, giving military-style training to Madrassa students and other organisational works. Similarly, JMB chief Abdur Rahman's international connections are spread over few Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Weaponry

An analysis of the seizures from JMB cadres and their hideouts indicate that the outfit uses or has access to time bombs, detonators, petrol bombs and RDX explosives. Militants of the JMB are known to receive extensive training in the explosive making. The JMB's involvement in the August 17, 2005 country-wide bombings is also a pointer towards its explosive making and planting expertise.

The JMB is also reported to be procuring its arms and explosives from the militant groups in Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, India and China, which is brought into the country through the land and sea routes.

Incidents

2008

April 29: The Chittagong Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentences four JMB militants to 26 years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) each for their involvement in a bomb attack on the court of the then Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Akram Hossain in October 2005. The four convicts are identified as JMB Chittagong regional commander Jabed Iqbal alias Mohammad, cadres of the outfit's Tangail branch Shahadat, Abul Malek alias Laltu and bomb expert Jahidul Islam alias Mizan alias Bomb Mizan. Mizan is still at large.
April 29: The Jhenidah Special Tribunal sentences two JMB militants to life-term RI under the Explosives Act. The accused Abu Hasan Biswas of Ullapara village under Kaliganj sub-district and Zakir Hossain alias Razu of Kanyadah village under Harinakunda sub-district in the Jhenidah district were arrested on April 21, 2007 and had confessed to have hidden 140-grams aluminium powder, 900-grams potassium chlorite, two-kilograms of explosives, iron used in fishing net, black tape and 30 booklets on Jihad and the Taliban movement, 20 magazines, 20 audio cassettes and two pieces of magnet, which were subsequently recovered.
March 22: A Dhaka court sentenced three JMB militants, including the outfit's former second-in-command Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai's wife, Fahima alias Farzana, to different terms of punishment for the bombings at Udichi and Shatadal Shilpi Goshthi offices in Netrakona in December 2005. The other convicts are Salahuddin alias Saleheen and Asaduzzaman Chowdhury alias Panir. Salahuddin was sentenced to 31 years in jail while Panir and Fahima were sentenced to 10 and five years respectively. Panir and Fahima were also fined Taka 10,000 and 5,000 each, in default of which they will have to serve six and one months more in jail respectively. The court acquitted a fugitive JMB member Yunus Ali, as his involvement with the bomb blasts was not proved.
March 11: Nine JMB militants were sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the serial bomb blasts in Barguna on August 17, 2005. They were also fined Taka 5,000 each. They were identified as Asadul Arif, Rezaul Karim, Hafez Mohammad Mostafa Hasan, Hafez Al Amin, Shahidul Islam, Masum Billah, Abdul Haque Abbasi, Hafez Abdur Rahman and Shahid.
March 9: A JMB cadre, who was sentenced to death by a court, died while he was undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). Nasirullah was admitted to the DMCH by the Dhaka Central Jail authority on March 4 as he had been suffering from jaundice. A senior special judge's court of Jhenidah sentenced him to death on February 28, 2006 in an explosive case. The case was pending in the High Court.
March 6: Two JMB cadres, Nashirul Haque Bintu and Hafizur Rahman Raju, were arrested at Bahalguri village under Bhurungamari sub-district in the Kurigram village. Both reportedly are close associates of JMB leader Matin Mehedi and had gone into hiding following the arrest of Matin in April 2007.
February 23: A suspected JMB cadre was arrested in Tangail by the police in Barisal. The arrested militant, identified as Habibur Rahman Habib, is the son of Shajahan Miah of Habla village. Police claimed that Habib is the second-in-command of JMB's Tangail district unit and also the cousin of absconding JMB commander Younus Miah, who has been sentenced to death in the Netrokona bomb blast case recently. Habib is also an accused in two cases filed with the Paltan police station in Dhaka and Tangail police station in connection with August 17 bomb blasts in 2005.

Police detained a JMB militant, Abdur Rahman, while he was giving money to an accused JMB cadre at a Chittagong Court. The arrested is the son of Rafiqul Islam of Ghuchung Chhara in Rangamati.
February 16: The Speedy Trial Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced three JMB militants to death on charges of killing eight people, including two leaders of the cultural group Udichi, by carrying out suicide bomb attacks at the Udichi and Shata Dal Shilpi Goshthi offices in Netrakona in December 2005. The convicts were identified as Salahuddin alias Saleheen, Asaduzzaman Chowdhury alias Panir and Yunus Ali. Yunus Ali was tried in absentia as he is yet to be arrested. The court acquitted Fahima alias Farzana as her involvement with the killings was not proved.
January 30: The Speedy Trial court in Rajshahi sentenced seven JMB cadres to life imprisonment for carrying out bomb blasts in Chapainawabganj on August 17, 2005. The court further fined the convicts identified as Shahidullah Faruk Selim, Abul Kashem Tufan, Shakhawat Hossain Ziad, Abdullah Al Mamun Nasim, Hafez Ali Akbar Riaz, Shafiullah Shahid and Hafijur Rahman Dalim, Taka 10,000 each. Of the seven sentenced, two are still hiding.
January 21: A special judge court in Jamalpur sentenced three JMB militants to 34 years' rigorous imprisonment in connection with a grenade attack on police at Bhatara in the Sarishabari sub-district in 2007. The convicts identified as Habibur Rahman Yousuf of Satpoa village in Sarishabari sub-district, Sultan and Sohel of Charaildar village in Melandaha sub-district were also fined Taka 8000 each. Five other accused were acquitted. Yousuf was arrested first and following his confession, Sultan and Sohel were arrested at Charaildar village in the Melandaha sub-district on March 24, 2007 and 75 grenade bodies, 77 grenade caps and 27 packets of power gel were recovered from them.
January 9: Police arrested a JMB militant, identified as Moazzem Hossain Mollah of Ghatbila village in Mollarhat sub-district in the Bagerhat district, while photocopying a leaflet at Sardarpara in Jamalpur town. Police sources said that the leaflet contained 'motivational speeches' of executed JMB leaders Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Ataur Rahman Sunny and Abdul Awal. Following Moazzem's preliminary confession, police raided his rented house at Adipaita village in Melandaha sub-district in the district on the same night and recovered some more leaflets.

2007

December 22: The RAB personnel arrested an ehsar of the JMB at Janagalia of Shaghata sub-district in the Gaibandha district. Books and leaflets on Islamic revolution were also recovered from her house. Three sons of the woman, who are also JMB cadres, managed to escape before the raid, RAB sources said.
December 17: A suspected JMB militant was killed and two RAB personnel were injured during an hour-long encounter at the Maddhya Badda locality in the national capital Dhaka. The slain militant was identified as Kamal of Jamalpur town. Another militant, identified as Al Beruni alias Sabuj alias Rony, belonging to the lesser known outfit Islamic Dal was arrested. A rifle, a revolver, two pistols, and seven bullets were recovered from the arrested militant.
December 17: The Chittagong Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced four JMB militants to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment each in a case concerning recovery of explosives. They were also fined Taka 50,000 each. The convicts were identified as JMB Chittagong Region Commander Jabed Iqbal alias Mohammad, Naimuzzaman alias Sohag, Ayub Ali alias Abu Jar and Jahidul Islam alias Sumon alias Boma Mizan.
December 7: Police arrested one JMB militant, Nazrul Islam, when he was visiting his parents at Khanpur village in the Dinajpur district. Nazrul was charge-sheeted in connection with the August 17, 2005 countrywide serial bomb blasts.
November 30: Three out of five JMB cadres involved in the jailbreak attempt from the district jail in Comilla on November 25 were shifted to Dhaka Central Jail on November 30 owing to security reasons. The three militants included Nabil Rahman, son of JMB's executed chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Shamim and Redwan.
November 29: The Speedy Trial Tribunal in Khulna sentenced JMB regional operations commander Hafez Mahmud alias Rakib Hasan to life imprisonment in a bomb blast case that occurred in Kushtia Islamic University on August 17, 2005. The militant was further fined Taka 10,000. Seven other charge-sheeted accused in this case were acquitted.
November 28: A JMB cadre was arrested on the premises of Kurigram District and Sessions Judge's Court. Police sources said that the arrested cadre, an associate of the JMB leader Matin Mehedi, had gone to meet with two other arrested JMB cadres who were being produced in the court on the same day.
November 25: Five JMB militants including Nabil Rahman, son of the outfit's executed chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman, made an unsuccessful attempt to escape from the Comilla district Jail. Nabil Rahman and Shakil Mohammad Galib managed to scale over the eastern wall of the jail. However, locals and jail police chased them down and caught them.
November 20: The Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced Abdul Aziz alias Hanif, a JMB militant, to ten years rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in a bomb blast in the Sunamganj district on August 17, 2005. Hanif was further fined Taka 5000. Another JMB cadre Mohammed Salahuddin alias Salehin was acquitted in the same case.
November 15: The Criminal Investigation Department pressed charges against five JMB militants, including executed leaders of the outfit Abdur Rahman and Abdur Rahman Sunny, in a case for assaulting the late litterateur Professor Humayun Azad. The court, however, dropped the charges against the two leaders as they have been executed.
November 14: Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel arrested a suspected JMB militant, identified as Hasan, from Amrakhali in the Benapole district. Currency notes worth Taka 1.4 million were recovered from him. He was reportedly traveling in a Dhaka-bound passenger bus from Bashkol.
November 12: Police arrested a JMB leader, Maulana Shahidul Islam, at Pathan Para in Gazipur. The arrested militant, who worked as an imam at the Al Madina Masjid is reportedly the 'divisional commander' of the group in Faridpur. He is also an accused in the August 17, 2005 country-wide bombings.
November 11: Daily Star reported that the Saghata sub-district, home of wife of executed JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, is witnessing a recruitment drive by the JMB cadres.
November 10: Two suspected JMB cadres were arrested from Basantapara village in the Saghata sub-district of Gaibandha. Both were identified as Wazed Ali and Abdur Rab of Basantapara village.
November 5: The Detective Branch of Police filed charge sheets against eight JMB cadres in connection with two bomb blast cases in capital Dhaka on August 17, 2005. The charge sheeted accused are Monwar Hossain, Enayetullah, Mohiuddin, Faisal Ahmed, Shoib Hossain, Arman Bin Azad, Yusuf and Rasel. Of them, Monwar, Enayet, Mohiuddin and Faisal were earlier arrested and now in jail custody while the rest are absconding.
October 29: The Khulna Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced three JMB cadres to life imprisonment for exploding bombs at two places in Kushtia on August 17, 2005. The convicts, identified as Hafez Mahmud, Shamsul Alam and Akbar Ali, were also asked to pay a fine amount of Tk 20,000 each, in default of which they have to undergo three years more of rigorous imprisonment (RI).

Three JMB cadres, identified as Asaduzzam of Gazipur, Aminur Sikder of Patuakhali and Saidur Rahman of Nagarkanda sub-district in Faridpur district were arrested by the Faridpur district police from the court area. A large number of Jihadi books, audio cassettes and 14 SIM cadres were recovered from their possession. Police claimed that the arrested militants were involved in the serial bombing across the country in 2005.
October 26: The Special Tribunal-2 in Tangail sentenced two JMB militants to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in two cases, one under the Arms Act and the other under the Explosive Substances Act. The court also fined the convicts Taka 8,000 each, in default they would have to stay five more months in jail. The militants were identified as Arman Ali of Adabari under Mirzapur sub-district and Selim Miah of the Sadar sub-district in Tangail.
October 9: The Sylhet divisional speedy trial tribunal sentenced two JMB militants, Abdul Aziz alias Hanif and Salahuddin alias Salehi, to 10-years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in a series of bomb blasts in Sunamganj in August 2005. They were also fined TK 5,000 each, defaulting on which would lead to one more year of imprisonment. They reportedly detonated explosives at six places in Sunamganj on August 17, 2005 following which police filed six different cases.
October 8: Three JMB militants were charged for carrying out serial bombings in four movie theatres in Mymensingh. The accused were identified as Salah Uddin alias Salehin, regional JMB commander for Mymensingh and Sylhet zones, Zahidul Islam alias Sumon and Anwar Hossain alias Anwar Alam. While Salah Uddin is lodged in Dhaka Central Jail, two others are absconding. 21 people were killed and over 200 persons were injured in explosions targeting four theatres in Mymensingh on December 7, 2002.

Unidentified persons claiming themselves to be JMB cadres threatened to set ablaze the building of the Petrobangla office at Karwan Bazaar under Tejgaon police station in capital Dhaka. The threat letter, issued in the name of the JMB office in Dhaka, was reportedly dropped in the office of Jalal Ahmed, Chairman of the Petrobangla, at Petrocentre. It sated that JMB cadres had already inspected different floors of the Petrobangla office and they would go on action soon. The threat reportedly came within hours after three JMB militants were charged with carrying out serial bomb blasts in four cinema halls in Mymensingh on December 7, 2002.
October 7: A court in Sylhet sentenced two JMB militants, identified as Abdul Aziz alias Hanif and Salahuddin alias Salehi, to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in two cases filed in connection with the bomb blasts carried out by the outfit in Sunamganj on August 17, 2005. Both were also fined Taka 5,000 each in default of which they would have to stay one year more in prison.
September 29: A court in Mymensingh sentenced eight JMB militants to four years of imprisonment. They were identified as regional commander Garibullah Akanda, Abdus Samad, Emdadul Haque Ujjal, Julhas, Mofazzol Hossain Bhulu, Hazrat Ali, Abdus Samad and Jabed Ali. Each of them was also fined Taka 10,000, in default of which they have to undergo eight more months in prison. Of the convicts, Garibullah and Samad are under detention while others are still at large.

The security forces launched a search operation for the former Jamaat-e-Islami leader Moulana Saidur Rahman, who has reportedly taken over as chief of the JMB. Rahman is absconding since the arrest of JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman in Sylhet city in 2006. RAB sources claimed that Saidur Rahman is conducting activities of the JMB since the arrest and execution of the militant’s top leadership. A court in Sylhet has already tried him in absentia and sentenced him to 14 years rigorous imprisonment in an explosive case in early September.
September 13: The Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced two JMB militants to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in one of the cases for the August 17, 2005-serial bomb blasts across the country. Both of them were also fined Taka 5,000 each and in default they have to undergo imprisonment for one more year.
September 12: The Speedy Trial Tribunal in Sylhet sentenced two JMB leaders to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Taka 2,000 for storing explosives and bomb making substances at a house in Sylhet. The duo was identified as JMB’s Sylhet regional chief Moulana Saidur Rahman and Abdul Aziz alias Abu Hanif. The case was filed in line with the statement given by Abdul Aziz who was arrested along with executed JMB chief Sheikh Abdur Rahman from a house in Sylhet on March 2, 2006. Following Aziz’s statement, explosives and bomb making material, including seven packets of resistance wire, 1000 pressure switches, 1000 capacitors, 600 integrated circuits, one high voltage battery and one packet of emitter diode, were recovered from a locked house at Hatimbag area.
September 10: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Rajshahi district filed murder charges against eight JMB militants in connection with the killing of Rajshahi University teacher, Prof Muhammad Yunus. While submitting the charge sheet the CID also asked for the acquittal of the five activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir who were earlier accused of the murder. The CID submitted that confessions made by the executed JMB leader Abdur Rahman have indicated that the outfit is involved in the killing.
September 9: The Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced two JMB cadres, identified as Mohsin Khan and Abdul Hai to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Taka 5,000 each, for their involvement in the bomb attacks on the city's judge court on August 17, 2005. Both the convicts were teachers at Sengram Dakhil seminary in Sylhet's Jaintapur sub-district.
September 7: Police arrested one JMB cadre, Aminul Islam alias Chotton, from Hossainpur village under Muradnagar sub-district of Comilla district. He was involved in serial bomb blasts in the Comilla town on August 17, 2005.
August 28: Charges were framed at the court of Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge-4 in Chittagong against five JMB cadres in two cases filed in 2005. The JMB militants included the outfit’s Chittagong ‘divisional commander’ Jabed Iqbal, Cox’s Bazaar ‘district commander’ Rafiqul Islam Ratan, bomb expert Mizan, and regional leaders Abdul Malek Laltu and Shahdat Ali.
August 24: Two JMB cadres, identified as Dulu Miah and Mizanur Rahman Mizan, surrendered at Gangachara police station in the Rangpur district.
August 20: The Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 in Dhaka sentenced Salahuddin alias Salehin, a Majlish-e-Shura member of the JMB, to death for killing a youth in Jamalpur four years back. The court acquitted two other JMB cadres-- Amir Khan and Sharif Monwar alias Shiplu -- as the charges brought against them were not proved. A group of JMB members led by Salahuddin killed Hridoy Roy of Sonarcor in Jamalpur's Sarishabari sub-district on April 23, 2003, accusing him of converting poor Muslim locals to Christianity.

A convicted patron of the executed JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai died at Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital. Hospital and prison sources said Shamsul Haque, who was a village doctor, suddenly fell sick in the district central jail. He was brought to the hospital where he died on arrival. RAB personnel had arrested Shamsul, along with his 15 associates, from Dulla area of Muktagachha in the Mymensingh district on May 7, 2007 on charge of patronising JMB activities, including giving shelter to Bangla Bhai.
August 16: Security forces arrested three JMB militants in Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi and in Jhalakathi town. The militants were identified as Khorshed Alam, Abdur Rashid Babu and Amjad Hossain.
August 13: Police arrested an absconding JMB militant at Baliadanga Bazar in the Kalaroa sub-district of Satkhira district. Identified as Noor Ali Member, the JMB militant hailing from Kulla in Assassuni sub-district is charge-sheeted accused in five cases filed in connection with five blasts in Satkhira during the August 17, 2005 countrywide bomb blasts.
August 7: The Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court in Sylhet granted bail to Nurjahan Begum Rupa and Afifa Rahman, wife and daughter of the executed JMB chief Abdur Rahman. The court also deferred the framing of charges in the explosives case filed after the arrest of Abdur Rahman along with his family members and some JMB cadres at a house in Sylhet on March 2, 2006, as one of the accused, Sabbir Ahmed Dulal, could not be brought to the court from Dhaka.
August 6: Security forces arrested a JMB militant, identified as Abdus Samad, from Khilgaon in the capital Dhaka.
August 2: RAB personnel arrested four JMB militants, Ishak Sheikh, Rafiqul Islam, Khalilur Rahman and Mohammad Anis, along with ten kilograms of explosives and ten grenades from the Mirpur area in Dhaka.
July 29: A speedy trial tribunal in Mymensingh sentenced 15 JMB militants to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Taka 10,000 each.
July 17: RAB personnel arrested four JMB cadres and recovered five kilograms of power gel and 15 shells of high power hand grenade from Bajitpur of the Kishoreganj district. They were identified as Deen Islam, an Imam of Satura Jam-e-Masjid, Harun, Abdul Hannan, and Mohammod Hossain. All are residents of Satura village of Bajitpur sub-district..
July 16: Police arrested Saidur Rahman, a JMB militant from Bhogdaburi Patwari Para village in Domar sub-district of Nilphamari district in connection with a case under Explosives Act. The arrested militant had taken part in the serial bomb blasts of August 17, 2005 and had been absconding since then.
July 12: The Metropolitan Magistrate court in Dhaka granted seven-day remand for Shahida Begum, wife of the arrested JMB cadre Anwar Hossain alias Faruq. The court also ordered police to produce the bullet-hit Hossain being treated at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital before it after his recovery from injuries.
July 10: A suspected JMB cadre who received bullet injuries during a raid by RAB personnel at a house in the national capital Dhaka’s Mirpur area was subsequently arrested along with his wife. A pistol and several bullets were recovered from his possession. RAB sources identified the militant as Shakhawat, but did not name his wife.

A speedy trial court in Sylhet sentenced two JMB militants to 10 years rigorous imprisonment each for their involvement in the August 17, 2005 serial blasts case. Mohsin Khan of Kaziatal village under Muradnagar sub-district and Abdul Hye of Asadnagar village of Bhrahmanpara sub-district in the Comilla district, were convicted for exploding bombs at six spots in Sylhet on August 17. Both were teachers of Sengram Dakhil Madrassa (seminary) in Jaintapur sub-district.

Five JMB militants, including two top leaders, were arrested in a series of raids by RAB personnel in Dhaka and Mymensingh. The leaders were identified as Asadul Islam alias Arif, a member of JMB's reconstituted Majlish-e-Shura, and Anwar Hossain alias Faruq, a Shura member. The others were the outfit’s regional commander for Mymensingh, Shafiqul Islam alias Rakib, Sagar Hossain alias Sayem and Saiful Islam. Arif was convicted in absentia for the killing of two judges at Jhalakathi on November 14, 2005. Two 9mm pistols with nine bullets, seven computers, a large number of compact disks and books on jihad were recovered from the arrested militants. Hasan Mahmud Khandakar, Director-General of the RAB, told, "We succeeded in breaking the backbone of the banned outfit, but we decided to intensify our drives to nab the outfit’s members who are scattered throughout the country".
July 9: During operations in separate villages of Bagmara sub-district in the Rajshahi district, police arrested a JMB militant and four left-wing extremists, including a PBCP regional commander. The JMB militant was identified as Shamser Ali, who is also an accused in a police assault case. The arrested PBCP regional commander Ariful Islam Rony is a charge-sheeted accused in a murder case. The extremists were identified as Hazrat of Taherpur, Rashid Babu of Cheukhali and Islam of Polashi village.
June 28: District Special Branch police arrested a suspected JMB cadre from the College Gate area in the Khagrachhari district. He was identified as Kari Osman Goni, a leader of Islami Oikya Jote and Khelaphat Mojlish.
June 26: Police arrested Afsar Ali, a close associate of the executed JMB second-in-command Bangla Bhai, from Naldanga sub-district of Natore district.
June 25: RAB personnel arrested a close associate of the executed JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai at the Tangail bus stand. Mohammed Garibullah Akanda alias Munshi was a regional commander and trainer of the outfit and a former assistant superintendent of Bandha Chitalia Dakhil Madrassa (seminary) in the Jamalpur district.
June 23: Police arrested a close aide to the former second-in-command of the JMB leader Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai from Hamirkutsa in Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi. Abdul Jalil Sardar alias Studio Jalil was arrested while he was holding a secret meeting. Jalil was a member of the PBCP before he joined the anti-left-wing extremist operations led by Bangla Bhai.
June 20: Six JMB cadres, absconding since the August 17, 2005-bomb blasts, surrendered to the police at Gangachara sub-district in the Rangpur district.
June 14: A powerful bomb planted allegedly by the Jadid al Qaeda on the campus of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology was recovered. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police bomb expert Alamgir Hossain said the bomb was similar to five others found earlier on the campus.

Seven JMB militants surrendered at Gangachara police station in Rangpur. They were identified as Azizul Islam, Azaharul Islam, Johurul Islam, Abdul Baten, and Foyjul Islam of Kuribishwa under Kolkond union and Ashiqul Islam and Ibrahim Khalil of Boraibari under Alambiditor union.
June 19: The Home Ministry reportedly issued a directive to the security agencies to crush the resurgent JMB and arrest its leaders.
May 30: Four suspected JMB militants were arrested by police from Kochua and Hajiganj sub-districts of Chandpur district. They were identified as Billal Hossain, Nuruzzaman and Md Awlad Hossain hailing from Narsingdi and Jakir hailing from Bhola.
May 28: Police personnel arrested a JMJB leader, identified as Akbar Ali, at Borobihanali village in the Rajshahi District.
May 23: Police arrested Ratan Pramanik, a top leader of the JMB, from village Tilaboduri Atrai under Atrai police station in the Naogaon district.
May 22: The arrested JMB ‘operations commander’ of greater Rajshahi, Shahidullah Mahbub, in a judicial statement confessed to his involvement in the murder of Rajshahi University Professor Mohammad Yunus. Mahbub, who is the husband of executed JMB second-in-command Bangla Bhai's niece, was arrested from Bogra. Earlier on April 13, 2006, Shafiullah Tarek, grandson of Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh leader Asadullah Al Galib, had admitted to his involvement in the murder.

In Faridpur, RAB personnel recovered two bombs and a pipe gun from the house of a JMB militant in the Goalchamat area.
May 21: Daily Star quoting intelligence agencies indicated that the JMB leaders and suicide squad members are regrouping in the remote chars (riverine islands) on the Padma, Brahmaputra and Teesta rivers and are reportedly planning attacks across the northern region of the country.
May 18: RAB Personnel arrested a top-ranking leader of the JMB and a close associate of executed JMB second-in-command Bangla Bhai from the Atrai sub-district of Naogaon district. Identified as Golam Mohiuddin alias Shipon, he was in-charge of the Shoria camp of JMB in Atrai.
May 17: Police in the Rangpur district arrested four JMB militants from a remote char (riverine island) of the Teesta river under Pirgachha sub-district. 38 books on Islamic revolution, a record player, a number of cassettes and two cell phones were recovered from their possession. The four were identified as Abdul Quddus Khan Salafi of Char Protap Joysen, Anisur Rahman of Borodargah Fokirapara, Rubel Hosen of Posura Tangailpara, and Mohidul Islam of Budai Noyapara.
May 16: A JMB militant, Mokbul Hossain, was arrested from Hamirkutsa Dangapara village under the Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi district. Police sources said that the arrested militant was an accused in three cases including one for murder.
May 14: Montejar Rahman, a fugitive Jamaat-e-Islami leader-turned JMB ‘commander’, evading life sentence for the August 17, 2005 serial bombings, was arrested from Nischintapur village of Kalai sub-district in the Joypurhat district.
May 8: The JMB threatened to bomb several government offices, including that of the Deputy Commissioner (DC), in Rangpur district. The DC, Khondoker Atiar Rahman, informed that he received a letter from a person named Ripon, who claimed to be a JMB ‘commander.’ The letter posted at a Dinajpur post office on read, "We will blow up some important establishments including your office within one and two days as you killed our leaders."
May 6: Security forces arrested 17 JMB militants from different parts of the country. While RAB personnel arrested 15 JMB militants from Isakhali Bazaar of Chatol village in the Mymensingh district, two more militants were arrested from Khagrachhari. Two mobile sets, copies of case filed against JMB second in command Bangla Bhai, newspaper clippings of the stories published on the hanging of Bangla Bhai and other top militants, some books on Jihad were also seized from Mymensingh. From Khagrachhari, two toy guns, one tape recorder, electric bulb and circuit and five books were recovered.
May 5: Police and RAB personnel in separate drives arrested two suspected JMB cadres from Gangachara in the Rangpur district. They have been identified as Azizul Islamof Moubhasa village and Mahfuz Alam Bhutto of Changmari village.
May 3: Police arrested a man for his alleged connection with the JMB from Akania Nasirpur village under Kochua sub-district of Chandpur district.
April 24 : A JMB militant, Abu Sayed, was arrested from Konabaria village under Bagmara police station in the Rajshahi district. Sayed is accused in a case for a murder allegedly committed by JMB militants in 2004.
April 23: A suspected JMB cadre, Motiar Rahman, was arrested from Kamargaon village under the Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi.
April 22: Kurigram Police arrested a suspected JMB militant Ujjal of Natan Para of Raumari Bazaar.

Police arrested a suspected JMB militant, Abdul Jalil, from Bagmara sub-district in Rajshahi.
April 21: RAB personnel arrested two suspected JMB cadres, Abu Hasan and Jakir Hossain, from the Ullapara area of Kaliganj sub-district of Jhenidah district. They also recovered bomb-making materials, including phosphorus powder, iron shrapnel and other materials and booklets on Jihad written by the executed JMB leader Khalid Saifullah.

Police arrested two daughters, Fatima and Mahmuda, and a son-in-law of JMB Joypurhat ‘district commander’ Montizer Rahman’ from Paddapara village of Gabtoli sub-district in Bogra for their alleged involvement in militancy.
April 20: Two JMB militants, Anisur Rahmanand Delwar Hossain, were arrested from a seminary in the Melandah sub-district in Jamalpur.
April 19: RAB personnel arrested five JMB cadres at Tootpara under Khulna Sadar Police Station while they were holding a secret meeting. They were identified as Masud Hossain, Monirul Islam, Mohammad Al Amin, Ashik Rahman and Afzal Hossain.
April 17: Police arrested 13 JMB cadres from different places in the Sherpur district.

Security forces arrested two JMB militants from the Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi district. They were identified as Shafiqul Islam of Udpara village and Mahmud Hasan of Ramrama village.

Two more JMB cadres, Tara Miah and Amir Hossain, were arrested from the Tatalpur and Nouhat areas of the district town of Sherpur.
April 16: The Additional Metropolitan Sessions Court in Chittagong framed charges against six JMB militants in four cases filed in connection with bomb attacks, murder, and possession of illegal firearms and explosives. The cases were filed in connection with the August 17, 2005-countrywide bomb attacks, the bomb attack on Chittagong court building premises on November 29, 2005, and illegal firearms and explosives recovered from Chittagong’s Pahartali area on December 14, 2005.

A schoolteacher of Atrai, who was tortured by JMB activists three years ago filed a case accusing former State minister Alamgir Kabir, former Member of Parliament Shamsul Alam Pramanik and 34 others of patronising the militants. After hearing, Judge Fazlul Haq directed the Atrai police to accept the case and submit a report after investigation.
April 11: Suspected JMB cadres on April 11 shot dead Hyder Hossain, the public prosecutor of Jhalakathi District Judge's Court and chief counsel of the case filed against JMB militants for killing two Jhalakathi judges. Hyder had said that some people identifying themselves as JMB members were threatening him over telephone following the execution of the six top JMB militants.

The Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal in Chittagong sentenced a JMB cadre to 17 years' rigorous imprisonment in an arms case. The JMB cadre, Mohammed Mashiur Rahman alias Milon alias Ujjal, was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion from Cox's Bazaar along with a revolver and four rounds of bullets on December 14, 2005.
April 10: Police arrested four JMB militants, Said Ali and Joyen from Roynagar, Khoyer Ali from Kodapara and Akram from Sripur under Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi district.

The Superintendent of Police of Bogra received a threat mail from JMB asking the law enforcers not to harass female activists of the outfit. The mail also mentioned that the outfit is in a 60-day mourning period since March 30 in memory of its six executed leaders.
April 8: Police arrested JMB militant, Abdur Rashid, from Hamirkutsa village under Bangmara sub-district of Rajshahi district.
April 4: In Joypurhat district, police arrested three suspected JMB cadres, Abdul Hakim, Atiar Rahman and Imran Hossain, from their houses in the Khatlal, Kalai and Sadar areas respectively.
April 3: JMB cadre Saiful Islam, a teacher of Bulbuli Girls High School in the Islampur sub-district of Jamalpur, was arrested from his house at Dhengragar village and some documents were recovered from him. On the same day, Asadullah Asad, another suspected JMB cadre, was arrested from Aramnagar Bazar in the Sarishabari sub-district of Jamalpur.

In Barisal district, RAB personnel arrested a JMB militant, Maulana Aktaruzzaman, and recovered four grenades from his possession.
April 2: Police arrested nine JMB militants from the Rajshahi and Natore districts. While seven militants were arrested from their houses at Palashi village under Bagma police station in the Rajshahi, two others were arrested from Ramsa Kazipur village of Natore.

Police arrested four JMB cadres, Mustafizur Rahman, Sadeka Banu who is the wife of JMB leader Maulana Abdur Rouf, Billal and Elias, from the Jibontala seminary in the Bhaluka sub-district of Mymensingh district and a nearby market.
April 1: Cases were filed against three BNP leaders, including former post and telecommunications minister Aminul Huq, former deputy minister for land Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu and former member of parliament Nadim Mostafa, for patronising JMB militants in the Natore and Rajshahi districts.
March 31: Police arrested five suspected JMB militants in the Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi district. They were identified as Akram, Afzal, Amjad of Hamnipur village, Nazrul of Goalpara village, and Mizanur of Manda village in the Naogaon district.
March 30: Six top JMB militants including the outfit’s chief Abdur Rahman and second-in-command, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai were executed in four different jails. The other militants hanged were majlish-e-shura members Abdul Awal, Khaled Saifullah and Ataur Rahman Sunny and suicide squad member Iftekhar Hasan Al-Mamun.

Police arrested two aides of the hanged JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai from Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi.
March 26: Two JMB ehsar militants were arrested from Sarishabari sub-district in Jamalpur. A few jihadi books were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.
March 25: A JMB militant, identified as Monjurul Ahsan Monju, was arrested at Kakran village in Dhamrai sub-district of the Dhaka district.
March 24: RAB personnel carried out a raid at a madrassa (seminary) in the Jamalpur district and arrested six JMB militants. A large cache of bomb-making materials consisting of 27 packets of gel explosives, 75 grenade casings, 80 grenade covers and a large number of detonators were also recovered during the raid. RAB personnel also seized 117 books and four discs on Jihad.
March 20: RAB personnel arrested two JMB cadres, Morshedul Islam and Sirajul Islam, from Gangachara subdistrict of Rangpur district.
March 20: RAB personnel arrested two JMB militants, Mustafizur Rahman alias 'Killer Mostaque' and Abdul Kuddus alias Masud, from Raspur village under Dhamoirhat sub-district in the Naogaon district.
March 20: Arrested operations commander of the JMB Mostafizur Rahman Shaheen, confessed that about 5,000 cadres, who are paid monthly remuneration, are operating across the country. He also mentioned that the money for them comes from Bangladeshi expatriates in foreign countries, including the United States of America and Saudi Arabia.
March 16: Police in separate drives arrested five JMB cadres in Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi.
March 14: RAB and police personnel in a joint drive arrested a listed JMB cadre, Alauddin, at Barokona village under Shaghata sub-district of Gaibandha. Police sources said that Alauddin was the in-charge of a JMB recruitment and training centre at Akonderpara village and prior to the August 17, 2005 blasts, many JMB cadres, who received training from this centre, were deployed in different areas of Bogra, Joypurhat and Dinajpur districts.
March 14: RAB personnel arrested a JMB operation commander Mostafizur Rahman Shaheen from village Gopalpur in Pabna. A huge number of leaflets, books and letters were recovered from his house.
March 14: Two JMB cadres, Aftab Hossain and Abdus Salam were arrested in Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi. The officer-in-charge of Bagmara Police Station said that the arrested JMB cadres are associates of JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and were involved in the outfit’s operations against the left-wing extremists in the sub-district in 2004.
March 12: In the Bogra district, security force personnel arrested a madrassa teacher for his alleged involvement with JMB at Joyvoga in Gabtoli sub-district. Officer-in-charge of Gabtoli Police Station told that Abdulla was arrested at a place near Joyvoga Dhakil Madrassa.
March 11: Police arrested ten JMB cadres from different areas of the Chapainawabganj district. The arrested have been identified as Abdur Rahim of Tikrampur, Yusuf Ali of Chadlai under Chapainawabganj Municipality; Kayeshuddin of Kagmari, Abdul Jalil and Motalleb alias Masud of Chandpur Hajarbighi under Shahbajpur Union; Masud Rana and Kafiluddin of Dhobra under Kansat Union, Abdul Alim of Mohammadpur, Karim and Mostafa of Umarpur under Shibganj sub-district. Police produced the JMB cadres in a court, which sent them to jail.
March 10: JMB militant, Dulal alias Dulaia alias Dula Mia, was arrested and a firearm along with six rounds of cartridges was seized from his possession in the Chittagong city. Dulal was arrested previously on October 3, 2005 from the Chittagong Court premises immediately after a bomb attack on the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Akram Hossain.
March 10: Police on arrested a JMB militant, Rezwanul Haque alias Rezu, in Debadangi Union of Thakurgaon Sadar sub-district. Police sources said that Rezu was a listed JMB activist and went into hiding soon after August 17, 2005 countrywide serial bomb blasts.
March 9: Police arrested Mahtab Khamaru, a close aide of JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai at a mosque at Talgharia in the Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi district after Juma prayers. Khamaru had earlier been arrested on November 27, 2005, but was released following a ministerial order. Since then he was absconding.
March 6: Police personnel arrested a suspected JMB militant at Shipahipara near Phulbari bus stand in Dinajpur town and recovered a large number of jihadi text books from his possession. The arrested person was identified as Hafez Mohammad Tajul Islam alias Nabab Mukut of Joyrampur village in Dinajpur Sadar sub-district.
March 6: Law Adviser Mainul Hosein said the government will not allow the six JMB militants who have been sentenced to death to the media since there is no instance of allowing any convict to do so. He further said that search is continuing for arresting those who patronised the militants.
March 6: Police arrested five JMB militants from Uttar Moheshpur and Telabadul Mridhapara villages of Khetlal sub-district of Joypurhat district. The arrested militants have been identified as Monsur Rahman, Mahfuzur, Nuruzzaman, Ishaque Ali and Afzal Hossain.
March 5: A team of RAB personnel arrested a JMB militant, identified as Mushtaque, in a pre-dawn raid on Chaitankhila village under Sadar sub-district of Sherpur district.
March 4: The court of Third Additional Metropolitan Session's court in Chittagong sentenced a JMB cadre to 40 years imprisonment. The militant, Laltu alias Anam, was arrested on October 3, 2005 at the Chittagong Court premises immediately after a bomb exploded at the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Akram Hossain.
March 4: President Iajuddin Ahmed rejected the mercy petitions of six of the seven JMB militants who have been sentenced to death for their involvement in the killing two judges in Jhalakathi in November 2005. The militants include JMB chief Abdur Rahman, second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, Majlish-e-Shura (the highest decision-making body) members Ataur Rahman Sunny, Khaled Saifullah and Abdul Awal, suicide bomber Iftekhar Al Mamun. The decision of the President clears the way for the execution of the militants. According to the jail code, the jail authorities will reschedule the date of execution within 21-28 days from the date of receipt of the copy of the President’s decision.
March 2: In Naogaon, police arrested five JMB militants from different villages of Atrai and Raninagar sub-districts. The arrested cadres were identified as Abul Hossain Master, Mosharraf Hossain, and Raja Mia, of Atrai sub-district, and Babu alias Mostafa, and Abdur Rahim, of Raninagar sub-district. Abul Hossain Master reportedly was a close associate of JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and also chief of JMB Atrai sub-district unit. Mosharaf Hossain was the second-in-command of the outfit in the same sub-district. Both were wanted in murder and abduction cases.
March 1: Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel arrested six militants of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) along with a Bangladeshi national at Burunga of Nalitabari sub-district of Sherpur. The arrested militants have been identified as Mohishwar, Shombhu, Warao, Hor Kumar, Jiban Kumar, and Thandoi. They hail from different districts of Assam.
March 1: Police arrested 10 suspected JMB activists including an alleged associate of the outfit’s second- in- command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai in the Bagmara sub-district of Rajshahi district. The suspected aide of Bangla Bhai, Abdus Sattar of Sakoa, who is also a teacher of Jatragachhi Fazil Madrassa (seminary) was arrested twice before since the August 17, 2005 countrywide bombings, but was released on bail. He reportedly was reorganising the absconding JMB militants.
March 1: Police arrested two JMB militants, identified as Shahadat Hossain and Abdul Jalil from Pirgacha area and Chaukhali village in Naldanga sub-district of Natore.
March 1: The Fourth Special Tribunal in Rajshahi sentenced JMB cadre Abdur Rahman alias Khalid to 30 years' imprisonment. Khalid was arrested with huge bomb-making materials and explosives from a rented house at Chhoto Banagram in the Rajshahi city in November 2005.
February 22: The RAB neutralises an illegal arms manufacturing factory in Tejgaon industrial area of Dhaka and recover various arms making instruments and a lathe machine. The owner of the factory identified as Abul Kalam Azad is arrested.
February 19: The Supreme Court dismisses the review petition filed by JMB militant Khaled Saifullah for non-prosecution. Saifullah is one of the six JMB cadres sentenced to death for their involvement in the 2005 Jhalakathi explosions that killed two judges.
February 9: Two cadres of the JMB, identified as Habib Ullah alias Habu and Iqbal Hossain, arrested in connection with series bomb blasts in Dhaka on August 17, 2005, were placed on a 10-day remand.
January 31: RAB personnel arrest JMB militant Russell Ahmed, who was actively involved in the bomb attack at Gazipur on August 17, 2005, at Chakpara of Sreepur.
January 28: Bangla Bhai, who has been kept in Kashimpur Jail, submitted his mercy petition to the President. February 17 was primarily fixed for the execution of the JMB militants.
January 27: Five of the seven JMB leaders and cadres, who have been sentenced to death, asked for presidential mercy. Mercy petitions by the outfit’s chief Abdur Rahman, Ataur Rahman Sunny, Abdul Awal, Khaled Saifullah and Iftekhar al Mamun were submitted to the jail authorities.
January 26: RAB personnel arrest two JMB cadres in Kalihati sub-district of Tangail. The arrested militants were identified as Mohammad Nazmul and Abdur Rahman of Balla village.
January 23: A special tribunal in Naogaon sentences three JMB militants to death for their role in August 17, 2005 serial bombings in the district. The convicted JMB militants were identified as Abdul Qaiyum alias Bhodu alias Kayes, Minhajul Islam alias Sohel Rana and Abu Sayeed Sheikh alias Hussain. Abu Sayeed was tried in absentia.
January 19: A RAB team arrests a JMB militant, identified as Saifur Rahman, in the Lalbagh area of Rangpur town. The arrested is a student of Rangpur Carmichael College and reportedly was assigned to send bomb-making materials to the JMB men in northern districts.
January 18: RAB personnel neutralize a JMB hideout and recovered a cache of bomb-making material in Savar. However, four JMB militants present in the hideout, located in the third floor of a four-storied building at Mazidpur near Savar market bus stand, managed to escape.
January 13: RAB personnel arrest three JMB cadres from different places of the Rangpur district and recovered 56 packs of power gel from one of the arrested militants.
January 9: RAB personnel neutralized a JMB hideout and recovered locally-made iron cases, used for making grenades, and a large amount of explosives from the Badda locality of capital Dhaka.
January 7: RAB personnel neutralised several militant hideouts in Narayanganj and recovered a huge amount of explosives and locally made iron cases to be used for making grenades. RAB personnel also arrested six militants of the banned JMB, who possessed the bomb-making material.

2006

December 29: Police arrest two alleged JMB terrorists, identified as Mohammad Fahad and Mohammad Saiful, along with firearms, ammunitions and detonators after they shot at and injured a Police constable and a Police informant during luggage checking at a check post on Rabna bypass in the Tangail district.
December 22: An informant of the RAB and Police, whose tip-off led to the arrest of Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, ‘second-in-command’ of the JMB, is killed by unidentified militants at village Binnakuri under Muktagachha sub-district in the Mymensingh district.
December 20: The Barisal Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal acquits all of the nine accused in one of the 12 cases lodged in connection with series bomb blasts at 18 places of Barisal city on August 17, 2005.

A Gazipur court puts Tangail district ‘commander’ of the JMB, identified as Abdullah Taslim alias Nahid, on a five-day remand in connection with serial bomb blasts on August 17 in 2005.
November 28: The Supreme Court upheld the death sentences passed on the six JMB militant leaders for killing two judges in Jhalakathi.
November 14: A special tribunal in the Naogaon district sentenced seven JMB militants to 80 years rigorous imprisonment each for possessing arms and ammunition. They were identified as Kawsar Sardar, Jalaluddin, Saidur Rahman alias Sayeed, Mosharraf Hossain alias Mosha and Akram Hossain alias Malek of Harirampur village under Patnitala sub-district of Naogaon, Abdul Barek alias Barek of Chakujal village in Mahadebpur sub-district, and Mostafizur Rahman alias Mosta of Boirati village in the Kaliganj sub-district of Lalmonirhat.
November 10: Three suspected JMB militants were arrested from Miakhannagar at Bakolia in Chittagong city. Police sources said that the militants had arrived in the Chittagong city three months ago and were planning to carry out subversive activities in the area.
November 9: The Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 in Dhaka awarded death sentences to two members of the Majlish-e-Shura of the JMB, Salauddin alias Salehin of Narayanganj and Rafiq Hassan alias Hafez Mahmud of Jamalpur, in connection with the killing of Abdul Gani alias Joseph Mandal, a medicine trader of Melandah in Jamalpur, in September 2004. Following the verdict, the convicted JMB cadres warned judge Shahed Nooruddin of death.
November 8: The JMB issued a death threat on Mymensingh Pourasabha (Municipality) chairman Mahmud-Al-Noor Tareq.
October 19: The Supreme Court fixed November 5 for the hearing in petitions of six top JMB militants regarding reconsidering the death sentence awarded to them.
October 18: The Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge in Chittagong sentenced two JMB militants to 20 years' imprisonment in a case filed in connection with three bomb attacks in Chittagong city in 2006.
October 3: A Majlish-e-Shura member of the JMB, Abdul Awal, sought permission from the Supreme Court to appeal against the death sentence awarded to him.
October 2: JMB ‘military commander’ Ataur Rahman Sunny submitted an application to the Dhaka Central Jail authorities to be forwarded to the Supreme Court against the death sentence awarded to him.
October 1: The registrar of the Supreme Court stayed the executions of the convicted JMB leaders Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai, after both sent letters through the jail authorities.
September 29: JMB leaders, Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai filed 'conditional' applications in the Supreme Court seeking permission to appeal against their death penalty.
September 27: The Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka sentenced JMB ‘military commander’ Ataur Rahman Sunny and the outfit’s Gazipur unit ‘regional commander’ Enayet Ullah Jewel to 60-years' imprisonment in two cases filed under the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act with the Sabujbagh Police Station on December 14, 2005.
September 26: Supreme Court stayed the execution of the death sentence of JMB leader Iftekhar Hasan Al Mamun after the convict files an application to the effect.
September 25: The First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka sentenced JMB military commander Ataur Rahman Sunny and four other JMB cadres to 11 years' rigorous imprisonment in an August 17, 2005 bomb blast case.
September 21: Mohammed Reza Tarek Ahmed, judge of the trial court in the Jhalakathi judges killing case, signed the death warrants of seven JMB cadres including its top leaders Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai for immediate execution of the sentences that were confirmed by the High Court.
September 18: Three JMB cadres were sentenced to 12 years' rigorous imprisonment by a special tribunal in Jamalpur under the Explosive Substance Act.

JMB cadre, Mansur Ali, was captured by civilians from a house at Batail village of Chaddashato Union in the Kishoreganj district and subsequently handed over to police.
September 2: RAB personnel arrested five JMB cadres from the Gomostapur sub-district in the Chapainawabganj district.
August 31: High Court confirmed death sentences awarded earlier to the seven JMB militant leaders for killing two judges in Jhalakathi by the Additional District and Sessions Judge of Jhalakathi on May 29.

The accused militants are JMB chief Abdur Rahman and second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, majlish-e-shura members Ataur Rahman Sunny, Abdul Awal and Faruk Hossain Khan alias Khaled Saifullah, suicide bombers Iftekhar Hasan Al Mamun and Asadul Islam alias Arif.

Eight JMB militants were sentenced to life imprisonment in Thakurgaon and Rajshahi. A special tribunal in Gaibandha sentenced four JMB militants to life imprisonment for their involvement in August 17, 2005-serial blasts in the Gaibandha town.
August 30: Abdul Khalek, a close aide of Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, chief of the JMJB and brother of JMJB’s second-in-command for the Baghmara sub-district, Abdus Sattar, was arrested at Biprokaya village in the Rajshahi district.
August 28: The Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced Enayetullah Jewel, JMB’s Gazipur ‘regional commander’ to 64 years' rigorous imprisonment in two cases filed with the Joydevpur Police Station in January 2006.
August 15: The District and Sessions Judge court in Laxmipur awarded death sentence to three JMB leaders (Ataur Rahman Sunny, Masudur Rahman and Amjad Ali) and life imprisonment to five of its cadres (Arifur Rahman, Azharul Islam, Maulana Emranul Atahar, Maulana Ershadullah and Nazrul Islam) for their involvement in the August 17, 2005-serial blasts in the district town.
August 2: At least 26 JMB cadres, including one Afghan war veteran and two suicide bombers, were arrested from the Mymensingh district.
July 23: Police arrested an ehsar of the JMB, Monirul Islam Monir, from a mosque at Char Purapathia village under Shibganj sub-district in Chapainawabganj.

A top aide to JMB second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, identified as Belal Hejati, was arrested in Bagmara in the Rajshahi district.
July 19: Special Tribunal-2 in Gaibandha convicted two JMB ehsars in an August 17, 2005 bomb blast case under Explosive Substances Act and sentenced them to 48 years of rigorous imprisonment. The cadres were identified as Ziaur Rahman Badal also known as Reaz and Abdul Quiyum.
July 18: A Special Tribunal in Kurigram awarded life imprisonment to four JMB militants for their involvement in serial blasts in the district town on August 17, 2005. The JMB militants were identified as Al Haj Mohammed Shamsul Huda, Hafej Mohammed Habib Ullah (Habib), Ekramul Haque and Shaheb Sarkar.
July 17: A court in Feni sentenced six JMB cadres for life for the August 17 bombings in the district.

The convicts were Mahfuz Khandaker alias Faruk, Kamal Hossain Duke, Mashiur Rahman, Redwan Haq, Shamim Hossain, and Rafiqul Islam. A special court in Feni sentenced six JMB cadres to life imprisonment for the August 17 bombings in the town. The cadres were identified as Mahfuzur Rahman alias Faruk, Kamal Hossain alias Duke alias M Gofran, Shamim Hossain alias Galib alias Saiful Islam, M Redwan, Rafiqul Islam alias Javed and Nurul Islam alias Roman.
July 3: A court in Feni sentenced six JMB cadres for life for the August 17 bombings in the district. The convicts were Mahfuz Khandaker alias Faruk, Kamal Hossain Duke, Mashiur Rahman, Redwan Haq, Shamim Hossain, and Rafiqul Islam.
June 21: The banks, including Sonali, Agrani and Grameen banks, and a civil society organization, Swanirbhar Bangladesh, located at Sadullapour sub-district in the Gaibandha district, received threats of bomb attacks from the JMB.
June 13: RAB personnel arrested a JMB militant, identified as Lutfar Rahman, from Dangapara area in the Rajshahi district. Separately, police personnel arrested another JMB militant, Sentu, from Shikdari Bazaar in the same district. Police sources maintained that both the arrested militants are accomplices of the JMB second-in-command, Bangla Bhai.
June 8: A Jamalpur court placed two Majlish-e-Shura members of the JMB, Salahuddin and Hafez Mahmud, on a seven-day remand in the Dr Gani Gomes killing case. Dr Gomez, a converted Christian of Duanipara village under Sadar sub-district of Jamalpur district, was killed at Hazipur Bazaar on the night of September 18, 2004.
June 5: The JMB chief Abdur Rahman, its second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and three other Majlish-e-Shura members, Ataur Rahman Sunny, Abdul Awal and Khaled Saifullah, were placed on a 10-day remand in the case filed for printing seditious leaflets and books on Jihad.
June 4: Minhaz alias Shaon, the Comilla district ‘commander’ of the JMB, confessed to the killing of Monir Hossain Sagar, a writer of Tangail, in the year 2000 at the directive of the outfit’s chief Abdur Rahman for making "indecent remarks" about Allah and the prophet in his books.
May 30: The Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court in Patuakhali sentenced five militants of the JMB to rigorous imprisonment for life and fines Taka 5,000 each in connection with the August 17, 2005-serial bomb blasts in Patuakhali. They were identified as the outfit’s regional chief in Patuakhali-Barguna region Masum Billah, Hafez Al-Amin alias Abdullah alias Sentu, Mostafa Hasan Abu Zafor and Asadul alias Arif.
May 29: A court in Jhalakati sentenced seven top Islamist militants, including JMB leader Abdur Rahman and JMJB leader Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, to death for killing two judges in a bomb attack in the Jhalakati town on November 14, 2005. "They will be hanged until death… I pronounce this highest penalty as involvement of the accused has been proved beyond doubt," Judge Reza Tarik Ahmed said in his verdict.
May 22: The Special Tribunal-12 in Dhaka sentenced a JMB militant to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment for possessing a powerful bomb.
May 20: PBCP-Red Flag cadres killed a JMB leader, identified as Arif, at Banshbaria in the Naogaon district.
May 14: A Speedy Trial Tribunal in Rajshahi sentenced 13 JMB and AHAB militants to life imprisonment in an August 17, 2005-serial blast case in Joypurhat under the Explosives Act.
May 2: RAB personnel arrested ‘Bogra zone commander’ of the JMB, identified as Jahangir Alam alias Mokhlesur Rahman alias Adnan Sami alias Ammar, from the Charmatha area of Bogra district.
May 1: RAB personnel arrested a JMB militant, identified as Saydul, and recovered bomb-making materials from Joynagar village in the Sherpur sub-district.
April 26: A Majlish-e-Shura member, Khaled Saifullah, was arrested along with his wife, three children and brother from a rented house at 8, Ideal Road, Paradagair under Demra police station in Dhaka city.
April 25: RAB personnel arrested two JMB militants, Mohammad Wasim and Ali Hossain, from Rupganj in the Narayanganj district and recovered a huge cache of explosives and bomb-making materials from them.

Salahuddin, Majlish-e-Shura (highest policy-making body) member of the JMB, was arrested along with six of his associates from Halisahar in Chittagong.
May 22: The Special Tribunal-12 in Dhaka sentences a JMB militant to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment for possessing a powerful bomb.
May 20: A JMB leader, identified as Arif, was killed by suspected PBCP- Red Flag cadres at Banshbaria in the Naogaon district.
May 14: A Speedy Trial Tribunal in Rajshahi sentenced 13 militants belonging to the JMB and AHAB to life imprisonment in an August 17, 2005-serial blast case in Joypurhat under the Explosives Act.
May 2: RAB personnel arrested 'Bogra zone commander' of the JMB, identified as Jahangir Alam alias Mokhlesur Rahman alias Adnan Sami alias Ammar, from the Charmatha area of Bogra district.
May 1: RAB personnel arrested a JMB militant, identified as Saydul, and recover bomb-making materials from Joynagar village in the Sherpur sub-district.
April 26: JMB Majlish-e-Shura member, Khaled Saifullah was arrested along with his wife, three children and brother from a rented house at 8, Ideal Road, Paradagair under Demra police station in Dhaka city.
April 25: Salahuddin, Majlish-e-Shura member of the JMB, was arrested along with six of his associates from Halisahar in Chittagong.

RAB personnel arrested two JMB militants, Mohammad Wasim and Ali Hossain, from Rupganj in the Narayanganj district and recovered a huge cache of explosives and bomb-making materials from them.
April 24: Fahima Chowdhury, wife of JMB second-in-command Bangla Bhai, is sent to jail by a court in Netrakona.
April 23: Tangail district police arrested a 28-year old JMB cadre, Khandakar Mohammad Zobaer, from a house at Meer Kumullee village in the Delduar sub-district.

Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court in Jhalakathi framed charges against JMB chief Abdur Rahman for killing two judges in the district town in 2005.
April 20: The Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka sentences JMB 'military commander', Ataur Rahman Sunny, to 37 years' rigorous imprisonment in a case for possessing firearms and ammunition.
April 16: RAB personnel arrested Abdul Majid, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader, at Dinajpur Railway Station market for his alleged links with the JMB.
April 13: RAB personnel arrested five suspected JMB militants from different areas of Gaibandha district.
April 8: RAB personnel arrested JMB ehsar, Mohammad Abdul Motaleb alias Masud, from the Shibganj police station area of Chapainawabganj district.
March 28: RAB and police personnel arrested two suspected JMB cadres, Haider Ali and Jamal Munshi, from the Dinajpur court area.
March 28: Lutfur Rahman, ehsar (full-time cadre) of the JMB, was arrested from village Cheragidaha under Shaghata sub-district in the Gaibandha district.
March 17: JMB chief Abdur Rahman confessed before the security agencies that the suicide bombing in Netrakona on December 8, 2005 that killed eight people and wounded 50 others was carried out by the outfit in retaliation for not releasing two arrested cadres of the outfit, Sanaullah and Kawser Alam Sumon.
March 16: Government filed a sedition case against all seven members of JMB's Majlish-e-Shura.
March 16: SF personnel arrested four JMB militants from the Brahmanbaria district.
March 15: Security force personnel arrested five JMB militants, including the outfit’s Sherpur ‘commander’ Mozahidul Islam Sumon, during raids conducted in the Brahmanbaria and Sherpur districts.
March 13: RAB personnel conducted two raids on JMB hideouts in Comilla town and arrested the outfit’s ‘commander’ of Comilla district, Mustafizur Rahman alias Sohel, Abdus Samad Mintu, his wife and two children.
March 13: JMB bomb expert, Shakil alias Mollah Omar, was killed along with his wife and two children during an encounter with the RAB personnel at Kaliajuri in Comilla town. JMB chief Abdur Rahman's son Nabil Rahman and JMB cadre Alamgir alias Bijoy alias Shaikat were arrested from the incident site.
March 10: Police arrested a JMB cadre from Sukh Nagar in the Gaibandha Sadar sub-district.
March 9: JMB chief Abdur Rahman confessed that his outfit is behind the attacks on prominent writer Humayun Azad and Rajshahi University teacher Prof. Yunus in 2004.
March 2: Security forces arrested the JMB chief, Sheikh Abdur Rahman, from his hideout at East Shaplabagh in the Sylhet city after a siege of more than 24 hours.
March 1: RAB personnel arrested 26 JMB militants holding a secret meeting at Uttar Dhanghara village in the Gaibandha district.
February 26: RAB personnel arrested four JMB militants, including the outfit's Bogra 'district commander', from various places in Bogra.
February 21: JMB militant, Mahfuzul Huq, surrenders to police in the Sitakunda sub-district of Chittagong.
February 20: Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal in Barisal sentences the absconding top JMB leaders Abdur Rahman, Bangla Bhai, Molla Omar and Amzad alias Khalid Saifullah to 40 years' rigorous imprisonment for abetting and plotting the killing of two judges in Jhalakathi.
February 18: Bangladesh Awami Olama League president, Mohammed Ismail Hossain, is threatened with death over phone by a JMB cadre, Habibullah Kanchpuri.
February 13: RAB personnel arrest three suspected JMB militants from a seminary under Biral sub-district of Dinajpur district.
February 12: Masum Billah, a suicide squad cadre of the JMB, in a statement, confessed to having carried out bomb blasts at seven points in the Barguna town on August 17, 2005.
February 11: Dinajpur police arrested a suspected JMB militant, identified as Moniruzzaman, from the Setabganj sub-district.
February 11: JMB threatens to kill the Dinajpur district judge and members of his family and blow up his residence unless he practices "Law of Allah".
February 9: Barisal Speedy Trial Tribunal sentences top JMB leaders, Ataur Rahman Sunny and Abdul Awal, and suicide bomber Iftekhar Hasan Al Mamun to 40 years' rigorous imprisonment