Bangladesh
Terrorism Dr. Rafat Chowdhury arrested for involvement in terrorism
Dhaka, November 10: DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) bomb disposal unit has arrested Dr. Rafat Chowdhury, son of the current Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Dr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman, for his involvement in militancy. He was arrested from Sylhet on Wednesday (November 9) at noon. Arrested Dr. Chowdhury is the chief coordinator of Sylhet region of banned militant organization Ansar Al Islam.
According to the CTTC, in 2021, he engaged in Hijrat (moving from one place to another with a purpose) in contact with both the Rakhine armed organizations 'ARSA' and 'RSO' for jihad on behalf of the Rohingya in Arakan.
Dr. Rafat also held a meeting with the leaders of the 'RSO' of Naikshyongchari border in Bandarban.
CTTC Chief Additional Police Commissioner Md. Asaduzzaman gave this information on Wednesday night. He said that on November 1, three members of the banned militant organization Ansar Al Islam were arrested in a raid in the capital's Sayedabad area. They are Sejadul Islam Sahab Tanim alias Isa alias Arafat alias Anwar alias Anbir (24), Md. Zahid Hasan Bhuiyan (21) and Syed Riaz Ahmad (22).
Asaduzzaman said, in questioning the three of them, each of them was invited through Dr. Rafat Chowdhury, chief coordinator of the extremist militant organization Ansar Al Islam, Sylhet region. They gave a statement in court under section 164 on November 6. In the statement, the three arrested Dr. Rafat and other associates revealed their names. Following this, Dr. Rafat Chowdhury was arrested from Sylhet area today (Wednesday).
The head of CTTC said that Dr. Rafat was serving as regional coordinator of militant organization Ansar Al Islam Sylhet. For a long time, he had been conducting Daawati programs to inculcate religious youth in Jihadi spirit. In 2021, he migrated in connection with both the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) to wage jihad on behalf of the Rohingya in Arakan. Dr Rafat also held a meeting with 'RSO' leaders at the Naikshyongchari border in Bandarban. In July 2021, 11 people migrated together from Sylhet to Arakan under the leadership of Rafat.
