Maulana Abdur Rahman

While Maulana Abdur Rahman is the Amir (chief) of the JMJB, Siddiqul Islam alias Azizur Rahman alias Omar Ali Litu alias Bangla Bhai is the 'Commander' of the outfit's anti-extremist operations.

The highest decision-making body of the JMJB is the seven-member Majlis-e-Shura (central council).Apart from Rahman and Bangla Bhai, other members of the council include, Ashikur Rahman, Hafez Mahmud, Tarek Moni and Khaled.
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JMJB chief Maulana Abdur Rahman is reported to have worked at the Saudi embassy in Dhaka between 1985 and 1990.He studied at the Madina Islamic University in Saudi Arabia and has reportedly traveled to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, among other countries.His most recent visit to Pakistan was reportedly in the year 2003.
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According to recent reportage from Bangladesh, Rahman and his colleagues assume different names and identities in different places.
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Not much is known about the outfit's external linkages although Maulana Rahman claimed in an interview on May 13, 2004, that "My travels abroad are no secret.We don't have links with any foreign organisation."He also added that "We don't have direct links with the Taliban either.
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The JMJB chief Maulana Rahman is known to have visited Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.He has allegedly secured help from Saudi charities to build some mosques and seminaries, from where the group is known to operate.

Media reports have also indicated that the JMJB is akin to Jama'atul Mujahedin Bangladesh that fought with the police from a secret training camp at Khetlal in Jaipurhat district in August 2003.After the gun-battle, a number of its cadres fled, leaving behind many documents indicating the outfit's subversive plans.Although police could not then arrest Rahman, they detained his brother Ataur Rahman Ibne Abdullah and 18 other militants.A few days later, police released the militants and the higher authorities allegedly transferred several police officials involved in the Khetlal operation.Rahman was quoted in Daily Star on May 17, 2004, as saying, "our workers from Bogra, Jaipurhat, Rajshahi, Rangpur and other adjacent areas gathered in Khetlal to attend a meeting.
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Maulana Rahman is reported to have set up a mosque and a seminary with financial assistance from the non-governmental organisation Rabeta-e-Islam and another organisation, Islami Oytijjho Sangstha.

June 17: Maulana Mohammed Habibur Rahman, Principal of Jamea Madania Islamia Madrassa (seminary), at Kazirpar in the Sylhet district admits visiting the Harkatul Jihad offices in Karachi and Peshawar in 1998 along with eight other Muslim leaders.

But its spiritual leader Maulana Abdur Rahman claims the JMJB is involved in social welfare activities.Maulana Rahman, like Bangla Bhai, was also a member of JeL and, incidentally, collaborated with the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's 1971 India-backed liberation war.

But its spiritual leader Maulana Abdur Rahman claims the JMJB is involved in social welfare activities.Maulana Rahman, like Bangla Bhai, was also a member of the Jamaat and, incidentally, collaborated with the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's 1971 India-backed liberation war.

Maulana Mohammed Habibur Rahman, Principal of Jamea Madania Islamia Madrassa (seminary) at Kazirpar, denies his involvement in the attack on British High Commissioner.

The JMJB is led by a "gang of three" consisting of Maulana Abdur Rahman, a former activist of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI), which is a member of Khaleda Zia's ruling coalition, Siddiqur Rahman also known as Bangla Bhai (Bangla brother) and Asadullah Al Galib, who is an Arabic language lecturer at the Rajshahi University.

Of these, Maulana Rahman is the Amir or the spiritual leader of the organisation, Siddiqur Rahman alias Bangla Bhai is its operational chief.While Galib has been arrested, the other two have evaded arrest so far.Bangla Bhai's notoriety has been recorded by the Bangladesh media for quite a long time detailing his extra constitutional activities.

The Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (AHAB) is of particular interest to India because of its wide network.Rahman's father, the late Maulana Abdullah Ibne Fazal, was an activist of the AHAB.He was a frequent traveller to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Southern Thailand and had met with Osama bin Laden and his lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahiri and leaders of the Jemaah Islamiya (JI) of South-East Asia.He was accused of collaborating with the Pakistani Armed Forces during the Liberation War of 1971.
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Maulana Abdur Rahman owns a madrasa at Jamalpur in Northern Bangladesh from where he was co-ordinating the Taliban-like activities of his organisation, with the tacit support of large sections of the Police and security agencies of the Government.

June 17: Maulana Mohammed Habibur Rahman, Principal of Jamea Madania Islamia Madrassa (seminary), at Kazirpar in the Sylhet district admits visiting the Harkatul Jihad offices in Karachi and Peshawar in 1998 along with eight other Muslim leaders.

A JMB leader, Maulana Hafizur Rahman, sent a letter to this effect from Chapainawabganj district to the police commissioner in Rajshahi.

According to the special branch (SB) of police, the HUJ was first formed in Bangladesh under the leadership of Maulana Shafikur Rahman of Bhairab on his return from Afghanistan.
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Under police interrogation Hannan and Khair confessed that they were recruited in HUJ in 1993 by Maulana Shafikur Rahman and were undergoing fire arms training in the hills.

But its spiritual leader Maulana Abdur Rahman claims the JMJB is involved in social welfare activities. Maulana Rahman, like Bangla Bhai, was also a member of the Jamaat and, incidentally, collaborated with the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's 1971 India-backed liberation war.