Ansarullah leader remanded

A Barguna court yesterday placed Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani, spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team, also known as Ansarullah Bahini, on a four-day remand.
Police arrested 31 alleged militants, including Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani, 43, at a house in South Khajurtala of Barguna town on August 11. According to police, the arrestees were holding a "secret meeting" there.
They produced the arrestees in the Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court in Barguna on August 13, seeking 10 days' remand, but the court fixed August 21 for remand hearing. After hearing on the remand prayer yesterday, the court put only Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani on remand.
Law enforcers lodged a case with Barguna Police Station against the 31 under section-57 of Information and Communication Technology Act. ASP Jahangir Alam claimed that police had found Jasim's connections with militant activities and that his statements to police were inconsistent.
Mufti Jasim, however, claimed himself to be a Pir (spiritual leader) and rest of the arrestees as his followers, who had gone there to hear his sermon, said the ASP.
A director of Markajul Ulum Al-Islamia at Basila of Dhaka, Mufti Jasim used to encourage young people to eliminate atheist bloggers, he added.