Islamists’ hitlist targets 10 people in Bangladesh

A Bangladeshi extremist outfit has released a new hitlist naming 10 people, including the head of a university and ruling party politicians, prompting the police to launch a probe and provide security cover to those named in the list.

Islamic Liberation Front (ILF), an organisation that aims to establish Islamic Khilafat in the country, on Monday issued a hitlist naming 10 renowned people, including Rajshahi University vice-chancellor M. Mizanuddin and former mayor Khairuzzaman Liton. The group claimed that they began a mission to kill all the 10 people in the list.

The ILF sent the letter to the president of the Natore Press Club from Rajshahi. Natore Press Club president Rezaul Karim Reza said that an envelope containing a computer-generated letter on an ILF pad reached the press club by post, Independent Bangla-desh newspaper reported.

Apart from Mr Mizanuddin and Mr Liton, others named in the list include Rajshahi legislator Fazle Hossain Badsha, Rajshahi district unit secretary Asaduzzaman and journalist Anu Mostafa, it said.

Natore superintendent of police Shyamol Mukherjee said they have beefed up intelligence activities in the district and are investigating the matter.

“The Islami Liberation Group is unknown to us, but we are taking the threat seriously. Steps are being taken to provide protection to the people named in the list,” a police officer in Rajshahi told a TV channel. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh in recent months.