Bangladesh Defense Forum 
ARSA chief, 10 others held, placed on remand
The armed Rohingya group leader is blamed for criminal activities in camps
Photo: Courtesy/Prothom Alo
Rab has arrested Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi, known as the commander-in-chief of the ARSA, and 10 others, conducting special drives in Narayanganj and Mymensingh.
Law enforcers yesterday produced Ataullah, 48, and six others before the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Narayanganj, seeking 10-day remand in two separate cases: one for illegal entry and another for criminal activities.
After the hearing, the court granted 10-day remand for interrogation, five days in each case, said Kayum Khan, Narayanganj court police inspector.
The five other arrestees are identified as Mostak Ahmed, 66; Salimullah, 27; Asmatullah, 24; Md Hasan, 43; and Moniruzzaman, 26.
Rab also arrested three women and a child along with the six. The four were also shown arrested in the two cases and the court sent the arrestees to jail.
Based on intelligence, a team of Rab-11 conducted a drive at the Siddhirganj area of Narayanganj, and Natun Bazar area of Mymensingh on March 16 and arrested the ten, said AHM Sazzad Hossain, the commanding officer of Rab-11.
According to the first information report filed with Siddhirganj police station, the arrestees have gathered in the districts and have held secret meetings to conduct subversive activities and grievous crimes.
Rab seized Tk 21.39 lakh in cash, a knife, a sharp steel chain and four wristwatches from their possessions, said Shahinur Alam, the officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj Police Station.
Ataullah and the armed group ARSA came to light after the attacks on around 30 police and army posts in the early hours of August 25, 2017, triggering a ruthless military counter-attack that has driven around 740,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh.
After the prosecuted Rohingyas took shelter in the squalid camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf, ARSA members have been continuing their targeted killing missions in the camp directed by its commander.
Hundreds of Rohingyas were killed by ARSA members over the years after the exodus in 2017.
ARSA was found to be involved in criminal activities including murder, smuggling, abduction, trafficking and extortion in the camps.
Many activities of the militant group were against the Rohingya's repatriation process to Myanmar.
ARSA's activities came to discussion broadly after Rohingya rights activist and leader Mohib Ullah was killed at the Kutupalong camp.
Mohib Ullah, the chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, who advocated for repatriation, was shot dead on September 29, 2022.
Soon after the murder, Mohib's brother Habib Ullah claimed that ARSA, locally known as Al-Yakin, was behind the assassination.
Although ARSA leader Ataullah denied the armed group's involvement in the killing, a former high-ranking ARSA commander, however, informed that ARSA leaders had discussed the assassination of Mohib Ullah, according to a report of the rights group Fortify Rights, launched yesterday.
"Bangladesh should cooperate with the International Crimes Tribunal and hand Ataullah over to the court to be investigated and held accountable for international crimes," John Quinley, Director of Fortify Rights, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Ataullah is a scourge on the Rohingya community.
"He is responsible for overseeing widespread violations against civilians. Bangladesh did the right thing in arresting Ataullah. This is an important day for Rohingya refugees in Myanmar Bangladesh," he added.
Besides on November 23, 2022, the ARSA's commander-in-chief Ataullah was named as the prime accused along with 65 others in the case filed over the murder of a DGFI officer near the Tumbru border in Bandarban's Naikkhangchhari on November 14 of the year.
Bangladesh Air Force Squadron Leader Rizwan Rushdee, who was serving in DGFI, was killed and Rab official Sohel Barua was injured as drug smugglers opened fire during a clash near the Tumbru border.
Later, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, a DGFI field officer in Cox's Bazar, filed the case with Naikkhangchhari Police Station.
[Our Narayanganj and Cox's Bazar Correspondent also contributed to this report]
The armed Rohingya group leader is blamed for criminal activities in camps
Photo: Courtesy/Prothom Alo
Rab has arrested Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi, known as the commander-in-chief of the ARSA, and 10 others, conducting special drives in Narayanganj and Mymensingh.
Law enforcers yesterday produced Ataullah, 48, and six others before the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Narayanganj, seeking 10-day remand in two separate cases: one for illegal entry and another for criminal activities.
After the hearing, the court granted 10-day remand for interrogation, five days in each case, said Kayum Khan, Narayanganj court police inspector.
The five other arrestees are identified as Mostak Ahmed, 66; Salimullah, 27; Asmatullah, 24; Md Hasan, 43; and Moniruzzaman, 26.
Rab also arrested three women and a child along with the six. The four were also shown arrested in the two cases and the court sent the arrestees to jail.
Based on intelligence, a team of Rab-11 conducted a drive at the Siddhirganj area of Narayanganj, and Natun Bazar area of Mymensingh on March 16 and arrested the ten, said AHM Sazzad Hossain, the commanding officer of Rab-11.
According to the first information report filed with Siddhirganj police station, the arrestees have gathered in the districts and have held secret meetings to conduct subversive activities and grievous crimes.
Rab seized Tk 21.39 lakh in cash, a knife, a sharp steel chain and four wristwatches from their possessions, said Shahinur Alam, the officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj Police Station.
Ataullah and the armed group ARSA came to light after the attacks on around 30 police and army posts in the early hours of August 25, 2017, triggering a ruthless military counter-attack that has driven around 740,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh.
After the prosecuted Rohingyas took shelter in the squalid camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf, ARSA members have been continuing their targeted killing missions in the camp directed by its commander.
Hundreds of Rohingyas were killed by ARSA members over the years after the exodus in 2017.
ARSA was found to be involved in criminal activities including murder, smuggling, abduction, trafficking and extortion in the camps.
Many activities of the militant group were against the Rohingya's repatriation process to Myanmar.
ARSA's activities came to discussion broadly after Rohingya rights activist and leader Mohib Ullah was killed at the Kutupalong camp.
Mohib Ullah, the chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, who advocated for repatriation, was shot dead on September 29, 2022.
Soon after the murder, Mohib's brother Habib Ullah claimed that ARSA, locally known as Al-Yakin, was behind the assassination.
Although ARSA leader Ataullah denied the armed group's involvement in the killing, a former high-ranking ARSA commander, however, informed that ARSA leaders had discussed the assassination of Mohib Ullah, according to a report of the rights group Fortify Rights, launched yesterday.
"Bangladesh should cooperate with the International Crimes Tribunal and hand Ataullah over to the court to be investigated and held accountable for international crimes," John Quinley, Director of Fortify Rights, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Ataullah is a scourge on the Rohingya community.
"He is responsible for overseeing widespread violations against civilians. Bangladesh did the right thing in arresting Ataullah. This is an important day for Rohingya refugees in Myanmar Bangladesh," he added.
Besides on November 23, 2022, the ARSA's commander-in-chief Ataullah was named as the prime accused along with 65 others in the case filed over the murder of a DGFI officer near the Tumbru border in Bandarban's Naikkhangchhari on November 14 of the year.
Bangladesh Air Force Squadron Leader Rizwan Rushdee, who was serving in DGFI, was killed and Rab official Sohel Barua was injured as drug smugglers opened fire during a clash near the Tumbru border.
Later, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, a DGFI field officer in Cox's Bazar, filed the case with Naikkhangchhari Police Station.
[Our Narayanganj and Cox's Bazar Correspondent also contributed to this report]
