Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya
Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya is a banned Islamist terrorist organization in Bangladesh.{{Cite web |title=Jamaatul Ansar: A Terrorism Threat in Bangladesh Before the 2024 Elections? |url=https://jamestown.org/program/jamaatul-ansar-a-terrorism-threat-in-bangladesh-before-the-2024-elections/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=jamestown.org |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=bdnews24.com |title=Bangladesh bans militant group Jamaatul Ansar |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/7ah99sfjug |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Bangladesh bans militant group Jamaatul Ansar |language=en}} It has received support from the Kuki-Chin National Front.{{Cite web |title=Govt bans 'militant group' Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya - - observerbd.com |url=https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=432044 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Daily Observer}}
History
Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya was founded in 2017 by Shamin Mahfuz.{{Cite web |title=New Islamist Militant Outfit Emerges in Bangladesh |url=https://thediplomat.com/2022/10/new-islamist-militant-outfit-emerges-in-bangladesh/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=thediplomat.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-25 |title=Bangladesh:Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAFHS) Contained |url=https://www.security-risks.com/post/bangladesh-jama-atul-ansar-fil-hindal-sharqiya-jafhs-contained |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Security Risks Asia |language=en}} It became active in 2019 and included former members of the Ansar Al Islam, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh, and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.{{Cite web |last=Islam |first=Shariful |date=2023-01-31 |title='Biggest militant threat' country has ever faced |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/biggest-militant-threat-country-has-ever-faced-3234716 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya established ties with Kuki-Chin National Front, an ethnic separatist group in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and its leader Nathan Bom to receive training. One of the detained suspects was Rafat Sadik Saifullah, son of Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami but the police did not find any evidence of organizational ties between Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-22 |title=Jamaat ameer knew his son's militancy ties: Police |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/jamaat-ameer-admits-his-sons-ties-militancy-cttc-556122 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}
In October 2022, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit detained five members of Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya from Demra.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-27 |title=Five alleged members of new militant group arrested |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/five-alleged-members-new-militant-group-arrested-521030 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}} Rapid Action Battalion detained four members of Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya in November.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-04 |title=RAB arrests 4, including 2 coordinators of a new militant organisation |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/4-including-coordinators-jamatul-ansar-arrested-525510 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}
Md Asaduzzaman of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime arrested Mohibullah also known as Bhola's Shaikh from Sayedabad.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-22 |title=Key Jama'atul Ansar militant arrested in Dhaka |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/key-jamaatul-ansar-militant-arrested-dhaka-3254431 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} Rapid Action Battalion detained four members from Chittagong after detaining four from Cox's Bazar following a gunfight.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-01 |title=4 members of militant outfit Jamatul Ansar held in Ctg |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/4-members-militant-outfit-jamatul-ansar-held-ctg-592418 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-23 |title=RAB arrests top Jama'atul Ansar leaders after shootout with militants in Cox's Bazar |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/rab-arrests-top-jamaatul-ansar-leader-after-shootout-militants-coxs-bazar-572402 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit detained its founder Shamin Mahfuz on 23 June 2023 from Demra, Dhaka and its Amer from Anisur Rahman alias Mahmud from Munshiganj District on 25 July.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-25 |title=Jama'atul Ansar now under control |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/jamaatul-ansar-now-under-control-3377876 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} Shamin received funding from sacked Bangladesh Army Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque.{{Cite web |last=Alam |first=Sheikh Sabiha |date=2022-02-16 |title=Militant Zia was a bigot: Father |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/crime-and-law/militant-zia-was-a-bigot-father |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}}
According to Rapid Action Battalion, Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya is the most dangerous terrorist outfit in Bangladesh. The group had trained 55 members in the Chittagong Hill Tracts under Kuki-Chin National Front.{{Cite web |last=Mollah |first=Shaheen |date=2023-02-02 |title=Video released by Rab: Families trace missing ones |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/video-released-rab-families-trace-missing-ones-3236541 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} It received funding from local and foreign donors and owned a number of businesses. Lieutenant Colonel Moshiur Rahman Jewel of Rapid Action Battalion described the group as well trained in firearms usage after reviewing training videos of the militant group. Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya also guarded the bases of Kuki-Chin National Front in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and lost one member in a gunfight while defending the base. The group had plans to establish a naval unit.{{Cite news |last=Talukder |first=Riyadh |date=3 August 2023 |title=RAB: Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya planned to form naval unit |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/321576/rab-jama-atul-ansar-fil-hindal-sharqiya-planned |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=Dhaka Tribune}}
Bangladesh banned the Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya on 10 August 2023; which was announced in a video message by Commander Khandaker Al Moin, Law and Media Wing Director of Rapid Action Battalion.{{Cite news |date=10 August 2023 |title=Bangladesh bans militant group Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/322164/bangladesh-bans-militant-group-jama-atul-ansar-fil |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=Dhaka Tribune}}
In May 2024, Detective Branch, let by Harun-or-Rashid, arrested three members of Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya including its chief recruiter.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-14 |title='Chief recruiter' of militant outfit Jamatul Ansar held with 2 other members: DB |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/3-more-members-jamatul-ansar-fil-hindal-sharqiya-held-dhaka-db-850936 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}} According to Harun 49 members of the group had been detained in total.
In February 2025, the deputy chief of the group Mohibullah was released from prison.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-04 |title=Extremist Leader Mohibullah Released Amid Anti-Discrimination Movement Pressure - BDDiGEST is fearless in revealing the truth beyond seeing, hearing and knowing. |url=https://en.bddigest.com/extremist-leader-mohibullah-released-amid-anti-discrimination-movement-pressure/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |language=en-US}}