Sacked army Major Syed Ziaul Haque, the alleged military wing chief of banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam, is under close watch and will be arrested anytime, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal claimed yesterday.
“Major Zia is under our surveillance. We will arrest him anytime,” the minister told reporters after a programme at Swamibagh in the capital.
He said those involved in recent militant attacks have been identified. Some of them have been detained already and the rest are under watch.
The home boss added yesterday’s raids in Gazipur and Tangail were part of regular drives by law enforcers. Such drives would continue in other places as well, he said.
In August, the police headquarters declared cash rewards of Tk 20 lakh each for information leading to the arrest of Zia and Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury.
Sacked from the Bangladesh army for his 2012 coup attempt, Zia has been on the run. He had a hand in the targeted killings, according to police. He is known as Sagar and Ishtaq among the members of his group.
Son of Syed Md Zillul Haque, Zia is from Mostafapur of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila.
According to police sources, Zia is the military wing chief of the pro al-Qaeda outfit Ansar Al Islam, which was previously known as Ansarullah Bangla Team.
Ansar Al Islam claimed responsibility for some of the targeted killings of secularist writers, bloggers and gay rights activists.
Around 200 of its trained members are active in the country to execute the plans of Zia, detectives say, based on the statements of some of its arrested members.
Arrested Ansar Al Islam member Suman Hossain Patwari said he along with several other members were trained at a centre in Tongi that was visited by Sagar alias Ishtaq, nom de guerre of Zia, said police.
Suman had confessed of his involvement in the attack on Shuddhoswar Publication owner Ahmedur Rashid Chowdhury Tutul on October 31 last year, police added.
Speaking at a press briefing on August 2 at the police headquarters, Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque had said police believed they would be able to rein in militant activities significantly once they arrested Zia and Tamim.
Tamim was killed in a police raid at a house in Narayanganj later that month.
Source: The Daily Star
