Bangladesh
Mufti Amir Hamza Controversial religious speaker Amir Hamza testifies about plot to attack the parliament building
Dhaka, May 31: Controversial religious speaker Amir Hamza has pleaded guilty in a case of 'planning an attack with a sword' at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. He was produced in the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Monday (May 31) after a five-day remand. At that time, he voluntarily admitted his guilt in the case of planning to attack the parliament building with a sword and agreed to testify, so the investigating officer of the case requested to record it.
Following the application, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Morshed Al Mamun Bhuiyan recorded his confessional statement. The court then ordered him to be sent to jail.
On May 25, police produced Amir Hamza in the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate's Court. Kazi Mizanur Rahman, inspector of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC), the investigating officer in the case, requested to be remanded for 10 days for a proper investigation into the case filed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. Following the hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Atiqul Islam granted a five-day remand.
Earlier on May 24, a team of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested Hamza in a raid on his house in Dabiravita area of Patikabari Union in Kushtia Sadar Upazila.
CTTC chief Md Asaduzzaman said there was a case against Amir Hamza under investigation by the CTTC.
Police claim that Amir Hamza has spread misleading information about Islam in the name of Waz Mahfil. Many of his statements spread on YouTube are provocative of extremism, which is attracting teenagers to militancy. Amir Hamza went into hiding after the arrest of Hefazat leaders and activists in a sabotage case started recently.
According to CTTC sources, a man named Shakib was arrested on May 5 in an attempt to attack the parliament building with a sword. After Shakib's arrest, a case was filed under anti-terrorism law at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station. Apart from Shakib, Ali Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Gunbi were also accused in the case.
According to the statement of case, based on the information obtained from Shakib during the preliminary interrogation, Shakib saw the video of the alleged speakers like Ali Hassan Usama, Mahmudul Hasan Gunbi, Amir Hamza, Harun Izhar and others and became addicted to extremism.
