Terrorism case filed against 35 Bangladeshis deported from Malaysia

Bangladeshi authorities have filed terrorism charges against 35 nationals recently deported from Malaysia over suspected links to the Islamic State (IS), officials confirmed on Monday.

The case was registered at Dhaka’s Airport Police Station on 5 July by Inspector Md Abdul Baten of the Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Unit (ATU), according to police sources.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman has accepted the First Information Report (FIR) and scheduled 11 August for the submission of the investigation report.

Three of the accused — Nazrul Islam Sohag, Md Redoanul Islam, and Zahid Ahmed — were arrested under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and sent to jail after police sought their remand. They were interrogated prior to being presented before the court.

The remaining individuals named in the case include: Parvez Mahmud Pavel, Sharif Uddin, Mohammad Habibur Rahman, Saleh Ahmed, Md Abdus Shahid Mia, Md Matin, Faisal Alam, Raihan Ahmed, Md Raj, Md Monsurul Haque, Emon Mohiduzzaman, Md Wasim Akram, Sheikh Salam, Mohammad Raj Mahmud Mondol, Ashraful Islam, Mohammad Faisal Uddin, Mahfuz, Robiul Hasan, Mohammad Sohel Rana, Md Afsar Bhuiyan, Shahed Hossain, Md Ashiqur Biswas, Md Shaon Sheikh, Yasin Ali, Mohammad Parvez Mosharraf, Mahiuddin, Sabbir Hossain, Abdullah Al Mamun, Md Rafiqul Islam, Md Shakil Mia, Asaduzzaman Hossain, and Md Sohag Rana.

Sub-Inspector SM Bakhtiar Khaled of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Prosecution Division confirmed that the case was formally placed before the court on 7 July.

The suspects were among 36 Bangladeshis arrested by Malaysian authorities for alleged involvement with IS-affiliated groups. Case documents do not mention one individual from the group.

According to Malaysian police, the suspects are believed to have raised funds and recruited members for IS networks in Syria and Bangladesh, using social media platforms and informal money transfer services.

Bangladeshi law enforcement has pledged full cooperation with international partners in the ongoing investigation and has launched its own probe into the deported individuals.