Female 'Neo JMB' Members: 'Dragged into militancy by husbands'

Female members of “Neo JMB” got involved in militant activities under pressure from their militant husbands, Chief of Counter Terrorism Unit Monirul Islam said yesterday.

Police have no information about women joining the outfit willingly, he told reporters at the media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

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“Females of local militant groups mainly provide service to their families, take care of their children and motivate them to join the outfit,” he said.

Referring to statements of several suspected female “Neo JMB” members arrested recently, Monirul said some of them accompanied their husbands as they were worried about how the society would treat them if their husbands' involvement in militant activities came to light. 

Abedatul Fatema, widow of Tanvir Kaderi, who was arrested during the Azimpur drive on September 10, in her confessional statement said she joined the militant organisation after coming under huge pressure from her husband.

Shaila Sharmin Preoty, wife of key militant suspect Nurul Islam Marzan, had left home with her husband as she was an orphan and had no shelter, said the CTU chief.

Even Shakira, who killed herself by detonating a suicide vest during Saturday's drive in Ashkona, was radicalised by her second husband Sumon, Monirul claimed.

Charge sheet over Kalyanpur anti-militancy will be submitted soon said Monirul Islam in an event on July 25, 2017. File photo

Shakira possibly became a suicide attacker out of frustration after Sumon was arrested around a month ago. Her first husband Iqbal had died of cancer.

Monirul also said two other women -- Trisha Moni, wife of “Neo JMB” leader Maynul Islam Musa, who is on the run, and Jebunnahar Shila, widow of Major (retd) Jahid alias Murad, who was killed during an anti-militancy drive in Mirpur, have affection to their children and did not try to carry out suicide attacks. They surrendered to police after a successful negotiation.

According to the DMP official, the Ashkona den was basically the residence of Musa where family members of at least three dead militants took shelter.

The flat was also used as an office where some other militants used to pay visits.   

Monirul said police were trying to know from the two females, now on seven-day remand each, about the sources and carriers of arms and ammunition and money, details about those who frequented the house and the plan of their next course of action.  

“We are yet to get any concrete information regarding the source of arms and ammunition and the money. It could be known following the arrest of Musa,” he added.

The police official said the militant group might have aimed to carry out attacks centering the Charismas as three suicide vests were kept ready and there were many grenades there.