Galib captures foundation building flouting HC injunction

Asadullah Al Galib, chief of a faction of militant outfit Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (Ahab), and his men forcibly took over the five-story Hadith Foundation building in Rajshahi city early yesterday.

The attackers violated a High Court injunction, slapped on August 10 over the building's capture or forcible intrusion into it for six months, and evicted its caretaker and 40 students who were residing there, said police and witnesses.

Over 50 attackers equipped with sticks and rods and led by Galib, also an Arabic teacher at Rajshahi University, went there at 3:00am, said the caretaker, Rezaul Karim. "They chased us when one student asked where they would go in the middle of night.”

Mainly students resided in the building paying rents.

Police were deployed at the scene to avert violence, said Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station. Galib has been in a legal battle with Tawhid Trust, an NGO, over the building's ownership since December 2002, he said.

At least 30 men of Galib were inside the building.

Tawhid Trust, founded by Galib, constructed the building but he was expelled in 2002 by the trust authorities led by the faction of Rezaul Karim, following allegations of corruption and his suspected involvement with militancy, said Abul Khair, office secretary of Tawhid Trust.

Galib was not available to comment.

Shakhawat Hossain, publicity secretary of Ahab, said, “We have been residing there for the last four months after Galib got court orders in his favour thrice.”

Galib was arrested in 2005 after arrested JMB militants named him as their spiritual leader.

He is now on bail.