Police busts Jamaat's 'secret office' in Dhanmondi

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)'s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit today (27 July) busted a "secret office" of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the capital's Dhanmondi area. 

According to the CTTC officials, they raided the office around 6pm and recovered around 11 handmade bombs, some local weapons, thousands of books and leaflets, and lists of members and donors of the organisation. 

Md Asaduzzaman, chief of the CTTC unit and additional commissioner of the DMP, claimed that Jamaat conducted its sabotage activities from this office during the quota reform protest.

Mishuk Chakma, deputy commissioner of the CTTC unit, said they have also found evidence that Jamaat had conducted violence in the Dhanmondi area in 2018 from this office.

The CTTC conducted the raid after arresting three central leaders of Jamaat from different areas in the capital.

The arrestees are former central president of Islami Chhatra Shibir and current Jamaat member Rashedul Islam, Jamaat's Metropolitan unit Treasurer Mizanur Rahman and Shura member Abdur Rashid.

The CTTC chief said they arrested Rashed early today for allegedly carrying out sabotage in Dhanmondi during the quota reform protest.

Based on information from Rashed and Mizanur, the police learned about the "secret office", said Asaduzzaman.

"The office was rented in the name of a lawyer of Jamaat about five years ago. Jamaat conducted all political activities there," he added.

"We have found a large number of documents including the names of Jamaat central leaders who directed, coordinated, and financed their criminal activities. We will conduct a drive to trace their whereabouts," he further said.