ILF releases hitlist threatening teachers, politicians in Bangladesh

Hindustan Times

A Bangladeshi extremist outfit has released a new hitlist naming 10 people, including the head of a university and ruling party politicians, prompting police to launch a probe and provide security cover to those named in the list.

Islamic Liberation Front (ILF), an organisation that aims to establish Islamic Khilafat in the country, on Monday issued a hitlist naming 10 renowned people, including Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor M Mizanuddin and former mayor Khairuzzaman Liton.

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The group claimed that they began a mission to kill all the 10 people in the list. The ILF sent the letter to the president of the Natore Press Club from Rajshahi. Natore Press Club president Rezaul Karim Reza said that an envelope containing a computer-composed letter on an ILF pad reached the press club by post, Independent Bangladesh newspaper reported.

Apart from Mizanuddin and Liton, others named in the list include Rajshahi lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha, Rajshahi district unit Secretary Asaduzzaman and journalist Anu Mostafa, it said.

Natore Superintendent of Police Shyamol Mukherjee said they have beefed up intelligence activities in the district and are investigating the matter.

“The Islami Liberation Group is unknown to us but we are taking the threat seriously. Steps are being taken to provide protection to the people named in the list,” a police officer in Rajshahi told a TV channel.

The threat to the Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor comes weeks after professor from the same university AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, 58, was killed by motorbike-borne assailants on April 23.

Siddiquee’s murder led to widespread protests by teachers and students from the university who condemned the attack and voiced concerns of their colleagues’ security.

There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh in recent months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers, intellectuals and foreigners.

Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home. In February, a head priest was killed at a Hindu temple in an area bordering India, the first attack by the ISIS targeting the community.