Professor Galib, Islamic militancy and Mayor Liton!

By Jahangir Alam Akash, Dr. Muhammad Asadullah-Al-Galib is a professor of Rajshahi University for Arabic department in Bangladesh. In last BNP-Jammat regime he was arrested with the accusing on militancy. But, now he is freed on bail. Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation and a central member of present ruling party Bangladesh Awami League was given a statement in favor of Galib. After then, he was freed. But Dr. Galib has still involved with militancy. Source: the daily Star, 3.10.2009.

Asadullah Al Galib, chief of the militant outfit Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (Ahab), is still engaged in spreading militancy and spending money from unknown sources. The Ahab men, mostly divided, with no visible sources of income, are providing monthly salaries to some madrasa teachers for organisational activities.

This was alleged by leaders of Jamaat-e Ahle Hadith (Jah), an Ahab splinter group and the authorities of Al Markajul Islami As-Salafi Madrassa, in a joint press conference in the city on 2nd October, 2009. The press conference was addressed by Rejaul Karim, secretary general of Jah and a teacher of Bogra Azizul Haque College, and Abdus Samad Salafi, superintendent and principal of the madrasa. Galib was arrested in February 22, 2005 as many arrested JMB militants named him as their spiritual leader, and he was implicated in nine cases. However, Galib was bailed out from jail in September 2008.

Abdus Samad Salafi alleged that Galib and some of his loyal teachers have been sheltering outsiders, mostly university and college students at the dormitories of Al Markajul Islami As-Salafi at Nawdapara in Rajshahi city. The pro-Ahab teachers led by Abdur Razzak Bin Yousuf often hold meetings with the outsiders at the madrasa mosque at midnight.

Although the madrasa is an institute under a NGO named Tawhid Trust and approved by Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board, Galib has been carrying out illegal activities of Ahab from the madrasa. Several other Ahab groups including Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha, whose members were involved with the banned Jamaa’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Sonamoni are also functioning from the same campus. Ahab is also publishing a monthly magazine named At Tahreek from the madrasa, although its printer’s line claimed its address as Hadith Foundation at Kajla area.

Rejaul Karim said when he was at Ahab; Galib had introduced him to JMB’s executed chief Shayakh Abdur Rahman in 2002. “Rahman sought my help for launching an armed struggle to stage an Islamic revolution in the country, but I refused terming it a stupid idea.” he claimed.

“Later I left the organisation following Galib’s militant connections and financial anomalies,” he said, adding, “For playing a role against Galib, the JMB militants threatened me many times.”

Rejaul said with the help of Galib, the JMB men used the facilities of some 1000 mosques across the country with the support of Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS), a Kuwait-based organisation that has been already expelled from the country for funding militancy through Ahab.

Galib founded Tawhid Trust, but he was expelled from it for embezzling its fund of Tk 5 crore provided by Kuwait Embassy and RIHS. Also known as Jomiatul Ehya-ut Turaj, the RIHS built the Nawdapara madrasa and a clinic at the madrasa compound that Galib is now forcibly using as his residence.

The link of previous report about Islamic militancy: http://www.humanrightstoday.info/?cat=29

Jahangir Alam Akash
Editor & Publisher
The Human Rights Today
www.humanrightstoday.info
Bangladesh.