HuJi leader Atiqullah was seeking 'sponsors' in Bangladesh, say police

Md Atiqullah, a 'top leader' of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh or HuJI-B returned to Bangladesh in search of 'sponsors' to support terrorist activities overseas, the counter-terrorism unit of police has said.

"A former HuJi leader named 'Mufti Shahid' who is in hiding in Dubai and a few 'Pakistani men' sent Atiqullah to the country," said anti-terror police chief Additional Commissioner Monirul Islam, citing Atiqullah.

Atiqullah was apprehended along with two of his associates, Borhan Uddin Rabbani, 42, and Nazim Uddin alias Shamim, 43, during a raid in the capital's Khilkhet on Oct 2.

They later gave confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in a case under the anti-terrorism legislation, according to the police.

"Mufti Shahid and the Pakistani individuals sent Atiquallah to Bangladesh to look for sponsors in March. His past record made them hopeful about his chances of success," said Monirul.

"He came to strike a 'bargain' with a certain source after assuring them that there wouldn't be any acts of sabotage in the country."

Monirul, however, would not comment on the country being targeted by the militant or the possible benefactor.

But several officials involved in the investigation said HuJi and other extremist outfits enlisted the help of officials at different levels of the administration during the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami coalition government to carry out numerous terror activities in Bangladesh and its neighbouring country.

The Pakistani intelligence agency used the militants from Bangladesh as pawns in the efforts to create unrest in India. Despite the current government's much-trumpeted zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and militancy, Atiqullah was scanning the lower levels of the administration to elicit support.

Shortly after his arrest, a counter-terrorism official said Atiqullah sought to reform the militant organisation to capitalise on the Kashmir and Rohingya crises.

According to the police, Atiqullah, an Afghan war returnee, was an improvised explosive device or IED specialist who went into hiding in Saudi Arabia via Dubai in 2006. He is believed to have met with slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden and had travelled to Pakistan on several occassions to carry out his organisational duties.

Former HuJi leader Mufti Abdul Hannan, who was sentenced to death in the August 21 grenade attack case, handpicked Atiqullah for the role of organising secretary when the militant outfit was formed in 1996. He was later assigned to oversee the finances and international relations of the group.

Atiqullah is the son of Ahsan Ullah, a native of Debrampur in Feni's Dagonbhuiyan. He took part in Afghanistan's war against Soviet Russia in the 1980s during which time, he came into contact with Al-Qaeda leaders Laden, Mullah Omar and Ayman al-Zawahiri.