Unmasking the 'Tawhidi Janata': Faces behind it

Amid the sudden surge in the activities of the self-styled Tawhidi Janata – including storming the Shahbagh police station in the capital to secure the release of a man accused of sexual harassment – questions have been raised about who this group is.

The group has also been present at the book fair, often becoming a mob. 

Is it a loosely-connected spontaneous group or is there a lot more coordination going on behind the scenes?

Qadaruddin Shishir, the fact check editor at the AFP, has been following the incidents.

"I have seen three main characters here – Sher Muhammad, Ataur Rahman Bikrompuri and Mohammad Tamim. They were present in the protest demonstrations at Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, the Shahbagh Thana and earlier outside Rab-2 headquarters," Shishir told The Business Standard.

Shishir said the three are always at the forefront of the protests. But what makes them stand out further?

"They have all served prison sentences," he said, with most of the sentences coming under the anti-terrorism act.

For instance, Abu Sayeed Sher Muhammad Khan, aka Sher Muhammad, was arrested by Rab in 2022 for providing funds to the banned militant group Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.

He was also seen campaigning after 5 August carrying the black Al-Qaeda flag.

Sher also prominently displays a photo of Titumir in his Facebook profile.

"Sher and Ataur Rahman are also connected through other outside programmes," Shishir said.

Ataur Rahman Bikrompuri also declared Sher the Ameer during the Shahbagh incident.

Shishir also found that Bikrompuri was known for his sermons, online speeches and extremely inflammatory speeches on Facebook.

He also runs a Facebook page called 'Anti-Shatim Movement', where a post on 22 February called for killing anyone identified as 'Shatim-e-Rasul'.

He regularly posts and makes statements calling Muslims who practice democracy 'kafirs'.

He also incites to kill atheists.

Bikrompuri was arrested in 2021 as a member of Ansarullah Bangla Team.

Ataur is a central coordinator of the non-discriminatory release movement working for the release of militants in prison.

It is alleged that after 5 August, he gathered his team to free militants from Kashimpur prison and interrogate officials.

Tamim, on the other hand, has also been seen in all the protests mentioned.

He was usually seen in the forefront of the protests.

Meanwhile, the trio are also seen active on Facebook page Council Against Injustice, which was created on 17 August 2024.

A third person of interest identified by Shishir is one Arman Uddin.

Shishir said the boy was seen in the Shahbagh incident giving various updates.

Soon after, his Facebook profile was locked after some of his old posts went viral.

In many of these posts he was seen congratulating Chhatra League leaders in his area.

"He was also involved in the attack at the Sabyasachi Publishing stall at the book fair on 10 February. He was the one actively leading the mob," Shishir said, adding there was, however, no visual evidence that Bikrompuri or Sher Muhammad were involved in the attack.

And on 22 and 23 November similar protests were staged in front of The Daily Star.

And the most recent incident was a group of agitated mod identifying themselves as Tawhidi Janata stormed into Shahbagh police station demanding the release of DU assistant binder Mostofa Asif who was arrested for harassing a student.