Anita Mathur from USA
A secret conspiracy is going on against the Bangladesh government, which is still beyond the radar of country’s intelligence agencies. Radical Islamic group Jamaat-e-Islami is funding such conspiracy with the active collaboration of former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, an acting editor of a vernacular daily and several fugitive journalists in the US, UK and Canada. Ever since publication of a biography of Justice Sinha, that acting editor has become chief coordinator of media offensives on the Bangladesh government, mostly via social media, especially YouTube.
The matter came under limelight following an article by Abha Shankar, Senior Analyst at the Investigation Projection Terrorism Investigative Project on Terrorism, and Sam Westrop, Director of Islamist Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum, where it was revealed, assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, barrister Abdur Razzak will be visiting Washington DC from October 9 to 12. The article was published in Blitz on 25 September 2018. Abha and Sam said, barrister Razzaq, during the visit, will have meetings with the White House officials, legislators, House committee staffers and analysts at a number of think tanks. Officials in the US are not aware of the real identity of Razzaq. According to credible sources, during the US visit, barrister Razzaq, who is on self exile in the United Kingdom, will be meeting former chief justice of Bangladesh, Surendra Kumar Sinha. Venue of this meeting is yet to be finalized. But several sources said, the meeting may take place in Washington DC, where both Razzaq and Sinha will be staying in Capitol Hill Suite.
Barrister Abdur Razzaq is an assistant secretary general of JIB. Founded in Lahore (then British India) in 1941 by the Islamist theorist Abul Ala Maududi, JIB has established branches in countries all around the world, including a substantial network in the United States. JIB came to prominence in 1971 after its operatives assisted in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis fighting for freedom from Pakistani rule. Three million people reportedly died in the catastrophic war and millions (mostly Hindus) fled to neighboring India as refugees.
In America, JIB operatives have their own prominent institutions, which pose as representative bodies of American Muslims. These institutions and their officials have served as vocal supporters of JIB in Pakistan and Bangladesh, helped coordinate protests against the War Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh, and organized lobbying and PR efforts in D.C.
JIB men in the US with the active collaboration of the acting editor of the Bangladeshi vernacular daily and Jamaat’s activists have organized a press conference in a Washington restaurant, where they are trying to get correspondents of the American and international media. Justice Sinha will give a statement and attending media members will receive publicity book. In the digital book, Jamaat-Sinha nexus has elaborated several issues such as, absence of rule of law in Bangladesh, repression on political opponents, violation of human rights and freedom of expression. There is a chapter in the propaganda book on forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and corruption in Bangladesh. Organizers are eyeing on getting attention of the international media on these issues.
Dubious activities of Jamaat and Sinha are taking place at a time when Bangladesh is scheduled holding next general election in November. According to sources, barrister Razzaq already has managed getting appointment for him and Sinha with several high officials in the State Department, Senate, Congress, Department and Justice. They also will meet officials of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
In the propaganda material, Jamaat-Sinha nexus has portrayed Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Philippines Ferdinand Marcos. Distribution of such propaganda material filled with inaccurate allegations against Bangladeshi authorities would create a wrong impression amongst the Western media and policymakers.
Keeping eyes on the upcoming election in Bangladesh, Jamaat e Islami is planning few more actions against the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, which include, publishing paid contents in some of the leading newspapers in the US and the West; releasing some documentaries in English on YouTube; holding of demonstrations in from of the Bangladesh missions in Washington, New York, London, Paris and other Western cities.
A letter is being sent by Surendra Kumar Sinha to the heads of the government, political figures and judges in most of the Western nations. He may also write to editors of prominent newspapers and television channels.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s intention is clear. They want to put pressure of Bangladesh government and compel Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is allowing Jamaat-e Islami Bangladesh (JIB) in participating in the next general election; because JIB is unwilling remaining with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the same alliance.
A source connected to Surendra Kumar Sinha inner circle said, Jib already has reached into a verbal agreement with him in forming a government in Bangladesh with Sinha as the head of the government once JIB succeeds in throwing Awami League out from power. With such commitments, Sinha has been chalking out a plan of his first 180 days in the office.
The further said, an appeal from Surendra Kumar Sinha may appear in the Indian Bangla press by the end of November. In this ‘appeal’ Sinha would call upon the Hindus, particularly Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in ‘extending’ support to an ‘oppressed Hindu’ in Bangladesh. JIB is already communicating with an Indian advertising agency in buying the space in several Bangla newspapers in India. The same letter may also appear in English and Hindi press as the same advertising agency is offering translating the text from Bangla to English and Hindi.
Ever since publication of Sinha’s book from Amazon, several politicians, civil and military officials, social activists and journalists from Bangladesh are regularly communicating with this former chief justice, the source added.
JIB trying to form alliance with Hefazat:
Sitting in United Kingdom, Jamaat-e Islami Bangladesh (JIB) leader barrister Abdur Razzaq has been secretly negotiating with another radical Islamic group named Hefazat E Islam (HeI) with the goal of forming an alliance. According to sources, JIB is desperately trying to emerge as one of the major political factors in Bangladesh eyeing on the forthcoming general election. Acting editor of a vernacular daily is coordinating the communication between JIB and Hei. Meanwhile, JIB also is trying to attract other radical Islamic political parties such as Islamic Shashontontro Andolan Bangladesh (Islamic Constitution Movement Bangladesh), Khelafat Anodolan (Caliphate Movement), Khelafat Majlish (Caliphate Council) etc.
Another source said, JIB’s is trying to form alliance with radical Islamic groups with the ulterior motive of staging a Khomeini–patterned ‘Islamic revolution’ in Bangladesh thus unseating ruling Awami League from power. JIB is seeing the upcoming general election as the most ‘prospective opportunity’ of grabbing power unconstitutionally as there are signs of massive violence between Awami League and its arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led 14-party alliance.