DHAKA, Oct 29: Bangladesh, hit by a wave of bombings over the past two months, has put up a reward of $152,000 for information leading to the arrest of two fugitive militants.
“Anyone providing specific information leading to the arrest of Shayek Abdur Rahman, leader of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, and Bangla Bhai, chief of Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), will be given five million taka ($76,000) each,” Home Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar told reporters late on Friday.
Bangladesh banned the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and JMJB in February for criminal activities.
Police hold Jamaa-ul-Mujahideen responsible for some 500 small bombings across the country on Aug 17 which killed two people and wounded about 100.
It has also been blamed for bomb attacks on three court buildings outside Dhaka on Oct 3 which killed two and wounding 15.
Police suspect JMJB and a third outlawed group, Harkatul Jihad, whose leader Mufti Abdul Hanann was arrested earlier this month, were also involved in the bombings.
Leaflets found at most bomb sites on Aug 17 carried a call by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen for the introduction of Shariat in Bangladesh.
Police and intelligence agencies believe the top fugitives and their close associates may have fled across the borders into India or Myanmar.
Home Minister Babar told reporters on Saturday police had handed a list and photographs of 128 militants from India, Bangladesh and Nepal to border security troops to make sure they cannot enter the country.
“We have intensified security at all border points ahead of a summit of south Asian leaders in Dhaka on Nov 12-13,” he said.—Reuters
