Abdullah al-Tasnim
Abdullah al-Tasnim | |
|---|---|
আবদুল্লাহ আল-তাসনিম | |
| Born | Abdullah al-Tasnim আবদুল্লাহ আল-তাসনিম 1986 (age 37–38)[1] |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Other names | Nahid |
| Occupation | Islamist militant (2004-2014) |
| Years active | 2004-2014 |
| Employer(s) |  Shaykh Abdur Rahman  (2004-2014) Sarwar Jahan Manik † (2014) |
| Parent | Abdul Hamid (father) |
| Relatives | Abdullah al-Sohel (brother) Taiyabur Rahman Hasan (brother) |
| Allegiance | Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (2004-2014) Neo-Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (April 2014-September 2014) |
Abdullah al-Tasnim (Bengali: আবদুল্লাহ আল-তাসনিম; born 1986),[1] also known by the alias Nahid (Bengali: নাহিদ), is a former Bangladeshi Islamist militant that used to be a top leader in Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Neo-Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
Early life
[edit]Abdullah al-Tasnim was born in Dhaka Division of Bangladesh on 1986 to a highly educated conservative family.[1][2] al-Tasnim's father is the late professor Abdul Hamid and he also has at least two brothers. One of al-Tasnim's uncles was a professor at Jahangirnagar University and another was a secretary in the Government of Bangladesh.[2] In 2004, al-Tasnim was pursuing higher secondary education at Tamir-ul-Millat Alia madrasa in Tongi,[2] and he was admitted to the English department of Government Saadat College in Karatia, Tangail after passing Alim from the Tamir-ul-Millat Alia madrasa.[2]
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh
[edit]On a Friday in 2004, al-Tasnim attended a khutbah that was led by Shaykh Abdur Rahman at a mosque in Dhamrai, who noted down the names and addresses of al-Tasnim and others to identify the people that wanted to be part of the group.[2] After expressing allegiance to Rahman, Rahman gave al-Tasnim the task to expand JMB's student wing. His brothers Abdullah al-Sohel and Taiyabur Rahman Hasan also joined the JMB student wing.[2] On 19 December 2006, al-Tasnim was arrested by the police due to the 2005 bomb blasts that were done by JMB.[2]
al-Tasnim then bailed out of jail in April 2014 and tried to go to Saudi Arabia before being approached by members of Neo-Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh who asked him to join Neo-JMB.[2] On 18 September 2014, he was arrested again and sent to Kashimpur High Security Prison.[1][2][3]
After arrest
[edit]Seven years after his arrest, in 2021, Tasnim was interviewed under special arrangements at the Kashimpur Prison, and he said that he will probably never get out of jail and:[2]
Violence can’t promote Islam. The people who are working to establish Islam through violence are making a mistake. I got involved in militant activities in my youth but finally I’ve realized that it was wrong. Many young people like me are misguided. Now I feel that no one can force anyone to continue religious activities through oppression; rather, the process should be simple and non-violent.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "'JMB trying to contact Islamic State'". The Daily Star. 8 March 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Violence can't promote Islam, realizes a militant after 17 years". Dhaka Tribune. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Bangladesh arrests head of banned Islamist group". Gulf Times. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2024.