Police identify 313 financers of Hefazat

Highlights

• Tk6 crore was transected through Mamunul's bank accounts 
• There is Tk47 lakh more in Mamunul's account 
• DB arrested 21 Hefazat men in 17 cases

The detective branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has identified 313 individuals as donors of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh. Now, police are trying to know the earning sources of the financers.  

The investigators found that Tk6 crore was transacted through in different bank accounts of Hefazat leader Mamunul Haque. Mamunul's account now has Tk47 lakh.  Moreover, detectives are investigating whether the donated money has been used in the recent sabotage.

A K M Hafiz Akter, additional commissioner of DB, revealed the matter on Tuesday. 

Hafiz Akter said "We identified local and foreign individuals who financed Hefazat. We are trying to trace out their earning source."

Police are also investigating that on which purpose; Hefazat is spending the donated money, he added.

In a press conference at DB Headquarters, AKM Hafiz Akter said last year a few Hefazat leaders, including Mamunul Haque and Junaid Al Habib, had a meeting at the wedding ceremony of son of Junaid Babunagari, former Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam, and hacthed a plan to remove its founding chief Shah Ahmad Shafi.

Activists and supporters of Hefazat-e-Islam staged a massive protest in Brahmanbaria from 26 to 28 March against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh. They attacked, vandalized, and set fire to several public and private establishments. 

At least 11 people were killed in three days of clashes with law enforcement agencies. 

A total of 55 cases have been filed accusing more than 35,000 people, including 414 named. As of Monday (26 April), police have arrested 369 people.

Asaduzzaman, deputy commissioner of Motijheel division of DB, told TBS, "Hefazat mayhem was pre-planned. Huge money was invested for the mayhem. We are trying to find out how much money Hefazat spent for massive violence."

He said DB arrested 21 leaders and activists of Hefazat in 17 cases filed against them. Now seven leaders of Hefazat, including Mamunul, are in the DB remand. A leader of Hefazat already gave a confessional statement. 

However, police, on Tuesday, rescued Jannat Ara, the 'second wife' of Mamunul, from Bosila area in the capital. Earlier on Monday, Jannat's father filed a general diary about her missing at Kalabagan police station.