Islamist Terrorism: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2009

On January 1, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested an imam (prayer leader) of a mosque, identified as Mizanur Rahman, at Bheramara Sub-District of Kushtia District, for his alleged links with an Islamist militant outfit, reports Daily Star. According to Police, Mizanur went to the local Army camp at municipality rest house at around 7:00pm and urged the Army personnel to quit the camp immediately as a powerful bomb was planted there to kill them. Read less...

On January 1, two cadres of the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), identified as Abdul Hye alias Masud and Khorshed Alam, who were arrested along with 28 grenades on December 30, were remanded to seven-day Police custody, reports Daily Star. Read less...

Daily Star reports that the Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has threatened to blow up Jessore District School and Government Momin Girls' High School located in Jessore town on the day of their admission tests on January 7. Letters to this effect, posted from Sharsa sub-district of Jessore District were sent to the headmasters of both schools on January 3. Both the letters bore the signature of one Abdul Wahab who identified himself as a JMB cadre in Sharsa. The letters asked the headmasters to introduce Islamic education and compel students to wear dresses according Islamic sariah. Read less...

A Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF) cadre was killed in an encounter between his accomplices and the Police at Baria village in Barisal District on January 6, reports Daily Star. The extremist identified as Touhidul Islam (35) of Swastipur village was part of a group of GMF cadres who had assembled at Baria graveyard when Police carried out a raid. Police recovered a shutter gun and two bullets from the spot. The slain extremist was involved in the murder of businessman Ashraful Islam Bakul on November 22, 2008. Read less...

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel recovered three mortar shells at Jugirampara under Thanchi sub-district in Bandarban District on January 6, reports Daily Star. Acting on a tip-off, BDR personnel raided at a zhiri (hilly water area) near Jugirampara and seized the firearms. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the recovery. Read less...

Police also arrested another GMF cadre, Sahjahan Ali along with six rounds of bullets during a raid in the Bottail area on the same day. Read less...

Police recovered two bombs from the compound of the National Academy for Educational Management in the national capital Dhaka on January 10, reports Daily Star. No one has been arrested in connection with the recovery. Read less...

The Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal in Chittagong on January 20 sentenced Javed Iqbal alias Mohammad, divisional chief of the Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), to 10 years' imprisonment for his involvement in the August 17, 2005 serial blasts case. Javed was also fined Taka 5000. Three explosions had occurred on August 17, 2005 in Chittagong’s Bahodderhat, Muradpur intersection and OR Nizam Road areas. Read less...

Personnel of the Rapid Action Battalion recovered 12 bombs from near a school in Muradnagar upazila (Sub-District) of Comilla District on January 23, reports Daily Star. Read less...

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel recovered two foreign-made firearms, one bullet and one kilogram of gunpowder from a passenger bus at Garhikhana road in Jessore on January 26 night, reports Daily Star. The person carrying these arms, ammunition and gunpowder, however, managed to escape. Read less...

On January 28, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed said her Government would not hesitate to take stringent measures to curb militancy in the country. In her first question-answer session in the ninth Parliament, she said, “Whenever action is taken against militants, it is described as an attack on Islam. But it is not right. The militants have no religion and operate beyond boundaries... I have already directed all ministries and the authorities concerned to find out the militants' patrons, financers and sources of illegal arms and ammunitions to root out militancy.” Terming militancy a major problem in the country, Hasina said she has already asked the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to form 'South Asian Anti-terrorism Taskforce' in line with the Awami League’s election manifesto for curbing cross-border terrorism. Read less...

Daily Star reports that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel on January 30 arrested a gang of three arms dealers from Nimpara of Charghat Sub-District in the Rajshahi District. Two pistols, including one made in the United States, with four magazines loaded with 13 bullets and a revolver with five bullets were recovered from their possession. The arrested persons were identified as M Rohidul (35) of Helalpur of Bagha Sub-District and his accomplices Mostafizur Rahman Mostak (35) and Raju Ahmed Mintu (29) of Shimulia of Charghat Sub-District. Read less...