DHAKA: Government is increasing intelligence surveillance on the activities of banned militant outfits and religion-based political parties as well as their leaders’ movements.

Specially, all programs of the religion-based political parties, including rally, gathering, will go under stern intelligence watch.
Intelligence agencies will check out whether any local organization has link to the international militant organizations.
 
Country’s intelligence units have been on alert following Al Qaeda’s video release on Thursday, in which the global Islamist militant organization announced the establishment of a new branch on the Indian subcontinent.

In the 55-minute video massage, Al Qaeda’s leader, Ayman al-Zawahri assured Muslims in Burma and Bangladesh; in the Indian states of Assam and Gujarat; and in the Kashmir region that “your brothers” in the militant organization “did not forget you and that they are doing what they can to rescue you.”

Intelligence personnel told that extreme fundamentalist groups have no chance to raise their activities here in Bangladesh. In pervious times, those had tried to begin activities have been brought under the legal procedures.

As such an announcement has come, surveillance will be increased, intelligence personnel added.

On Thursday, state minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, government has taken strong position to restraint militancy; for this reason, government is not worried about AL Qaeda’s announcement on beginning its activities.

Police Headquarters’ additional inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque told banglanews, this types of news (AL Qaeda’s announcement) has nothing new, we have strong position against the militancy in Bangladesh.

Besides the militant organizations, religion-based political parties remain kept under intelligence watch all the time, and it has been going on right now too, added the police official.

Shahidul went on saying; police remain alert so they (militant organizations, religion-based political parties) can not manage to carry out any subversive activities by being themselves organized.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police additional commissioner Abdul Jalil Mondol told banglanews, our monitoring keeps running always against the militant and will increase our activities following  Al’ Qaeda’s announcement.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Headquarters’ media wing deputy-director Major Rumman Mahmud told banglanews, RAB’s intelligence unit monitors the militants’ operations and our activities will be increased concerning the Al Qaeda’s threat.

Surveillance will be increased on several religion-based parties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area and our all units are working on the militancy matter, Rumman added.

According to the intelligence sources, surveillance is being mounted on over at least 40 different militant outfit and religion-based political parties including Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Hizb ut-Tahrir, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), and Shahadat-e Al-Hikma.

The list of 40 parties include  International Khatm e Nabuat Movement, Arakan Rohingya Force, Islamic Solidarity Font, Arakan People’s Army, Liberation Myanmar Force, Arakan Mujahid Party, Rohingya Independence Force, Rohingya Independence Army, Rohingya Patriotic Front Al-Harat-Al Islamia, Tauhidi Janata, World Islami Front, Jumaatul Al Sadat, Sahadat-e-Nabuat, Allahar Dal, Islamic Front, Jamaat As Sadat, Al-Khidmat, Hizbullah Islami Samaj, Muslim Millat, Sharia Council, Ahle Hadis Andolan Bangladesh, Dawati Kafela, Hizbul Mahdi, Bangladesh Anti-terrorist Party, Al Islam Martians Brigade, Jommiat Ahle Hadis Andolon, Jommiatul Ehzia Utraz, Hayatur Ilaha, Sattabad, Anjumane Talamize Islamia, Kalemar Jamaat, Tazir Bangladesh, Forkan Movement, Sahaba Parishad, Ketal Bahini, Eshar Bahini, Al Fahad, Horkatul Mujahidin, Mujahidin-e-Tazim, Jadid Al-Kayda, Al Markajul Al Islami and Jamatul Falaiya.

Intelligence sources said the parties are mainly active in the Baitul Mukarram Mosque area of the city and Chittagong district. Intelligence will investigate whether they have link to the international militant organizations; besides, intelligence surveillance will be on their activities.

BDST: 1103  HRS, SEP 05, 2014