A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) chief Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani and nine others in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Qamrul Hossain Mollah framed charges against them and also fixed January 4 to start the trial in the case.
Rahmani is known to be a top financier of militant activities in Bangladesh.
The other accused include Saiful Islam alias Prince, Abu Hanif, Ali Azad, Jahidur Rahman, Kazi Dewan, Naimul Hasan, Junnun, Aminul Islam and Abdullah Al Asadullah alias Piyas.
Among the accused, Rahmani, Saiful Islam alias Babu and Abu Hanif are now in jail, while Ali Ahad secured bail. The others remained fugitive.
Earlier on November 8, the court issued an arrest warrant against the fugitives after taking the charge-sheet into cognisance.
On August 24, 2013, Detective Branch (DB) police inspector Nibaran Chandra Barman filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Mohammadpur police station in Dhaka.
On September 8, 2014, another DB police inspector Abdul Latif submitted a charge-sheet against 10 ABT men, including Jasimuddin Rahmani.
Prime suspect Rahmani is now serving a five-year prison term for involvement in the 2013 murder of blogger Ahmed Razib Haider.
In 2013, police filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act accusing Rahmani of inciting terrorism through his sermons.
In September next year, police pressed charges against 10 persons.
The documents claimed the suspects were plotting against Bangladesh’s sovereignty and attempting to tarnish the image of the government.
The trial was stalled as the home ministry’s clearance was needed. On November 8 this year, the court took the police chargesheet into
cognisance.
The charge-sheet details suspicious financial transactions
involving Rahmani.
It said Rahmani transacted 24.8mn taka from different branches of Al Arafah Islami Bank across the country.
Investigators say they believe the funds were used to finance militant activities.
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