Home Affairs Advisor orders to keep an eye on top terrorists and looted weapons released on bail in Bangladesh

POBNEWS24 Dhaka, April 22, 2025 : After Sheikh Hasina was expelled from Bangladesh, most of the country’s prisons have been broken into and escaped by notorious and dangerous terrorists. Many heavy weapons, including three-point three rifles, have been looted from most police stations in Bangladesh, which have not been recovered so far. There has been a new fear among the people that the looted weapons may be used in the “criminal world”. This was indicated by Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury himself. He said that the top terrorists released on bail should be kept in check and work should be done to recover the weapons looted during the mass uprising.
He said this at a meeting with officials of various government departments and organizations in Jessore district on Tuesday afternoon.
It is worth noting that at least six top terrorists in the capital have been released on bail after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 in the student-public uprising. Most of them have been in prison for more than a decade or a half. Some of the terrorists who are still in prison are lobbying hard for their release.
According to law enforcement and court sources, a large part of the top terrorists declared by the government or listed by the law enforcement are now outside the country. Some have died. Most of those who are in prison, except for one or two cases, were acquitted or were in prison on bail. Taking advantage of the changed situation, they are now coming out on bail.
Among the top terrorists who have already been released on bail are Abbas Ali of Mirpur, known as ‘Killer Abbas’ in the records of the law enforcement, Sheikh Mohammad Aslam alias Sweden Aslam of Tejgaon, Imamul Hasan Helal alias Picchi Helal of Mohammadpur, and Sanjidul Islam alias Emon of Hazaribagh area. Apart from this, two other names of Dhaka’s criminal world, Khandaker Naeem Ahmed alias Titon and Khorshed Alam alias Rasu alias Freedom Rasu, have also been released from prison.
On December 26, 2001, the Ministry of Home Affairs released the names of 23 top terrorists. It included the names of Abbas, Helal, Titon and Rasu. There are many cases against these four people who have been released on bail, including murder and attempted murder. They were sentenced in some cases. Some were also acquitted by the high court in some cases. In the case of some people, including Sweden Aslam, there are cases where the state did not appeal against the verdict of acquittal.
Regarding how top terrorists are getting bail, intelligence sources say that the special branch of the police and other intelligence agencies always monitored the cases, bail, arrests and overall activities of big criminals. After the fall of the government, the law enforcement agencies were in a fragile situation. Taking advantage of this opportunity, top terrorists are getting out very easily. Again, there is no surveillance on them after they are released.
A senior law enforcement official, who did not want to be named, told Ganashakti, “We are now focusing most on maintaining normal law and order. That is why it was not possible to pay special attention to the top terrorists while they were in prison or after their bail. They took advantage of that opportunity.”
Several sources who keep an eye on the crime world in Dhaka said that some of the top terrorists who were out on bail have already left the country. There are also rumors that a top terrorist from Mirpur area has escaped from prison and migrated to a neighboring country. Some are hoping to become active in mainstream politics by using their old political identities. Many of the top terrorists have become friends with influential political leaders while they are in prison. Some are also trying to use that opportunity. Some are controlling extortion from prison.
Touhidul Haque, associate professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, Dhaka University, told Ganashakti in this regard, the top terrorists used to control crime outside the prison from inside. Therefore, if released on bail, there is a risk that their level of crime will increase. He said, “It is necessary to strictly monitor whether the terrorists who have been released on bail are activating the old crime network again. Otherwise, the desire of the students and the public for a new Bangladesh will be destroyed.”
The incident took place at 10:30 pm on March 13 this year. A call came on the phone of Md. Mahbubul Haque, a resident of Motijheel AGB Colony area. After picking up the phone, the person on the other end introduced himself as Faruk. When asked, “Which Faruk?” the person said, “Do you know which Faruk? I will come out one day. I will work according to my understanding.”
Later, it was found out that this Faruk is Omar Faruk, the expelled general secretary of Ward No. 10 of Motijheel Police Station Awami League. Omar Faruk is also accused in the murder case of Awami League leader Zahidul Islam (Tipu) of Motijheel along with top terrorists Zafar Ahmed (Manik) and Jisan Ahmed. He is currently in jail. The location of the number from which he made the threatening call on the night of March 13 is in East Enayetpur, Gobindbari, Kashimpur, Gazipur, a law enforcement source confirmed to this correspondent. Kashimpur prisons are located in this area. Such incidents have occurred frequently.