Three JMB Terrorists Convicted Two Decades After Comilla Explosives Raid

In a landmark ruling concluding a high-profile counter-terrorism trial that spanned more than two decades, a special tribunal in Comilla has sentenced three members of the banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), including a woman, to severe prison terms under the Explosive Substances Act.

The verdict was delivered on Wednesday afternoon by Judge Khairun Nesa of the Comilla Additional District and Sessions Judge Court (Special Tribunal-6). Following the formal announcement, all three convicts were transported to Comilla Central Jail under heavy police escort. Court Police Inspector Md Sadequr Rahman subsequently confirmed the execution of the sentencing warrants.

The Convicts and Sentences Imposed

The court handed down 20-year rigorous imprisonment terms to two key operatives: Md Mostafizur Rahman (also known as Mintu, Samad, or Rajib), hailing from Kolmidanga village in Sapahar upazila, Naogaon; and Mohammad Durul Huda (also known as Hasan), residing in the Chakpara area of Sreepur upazila, Gazipur.

The third defendant, Khaleda Akter (Rani), who is the wife of Durul Huda, was sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment. In determining her lesser sentence, the tribunal explicitly took into account several mitigating personal circumstances, including her responsibility for raising three young children, her husband’s concurrent imprisonment, and the complete absence of any prior criminal record against her.

Midnight Raid and Historic Linkages

The origins of the legal proceedings trace back to the early hours of 13 March 2006. Acting on intelligence regarding planned acts of sabotage, a tactical team from the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-7) encircled and raided a residence named ‘Roushan Villa’ in the Bishnupur neighborhood of Comilla city. An intensive overnight search yielded a substantial cache of bomb-making materials, dangerous chemicals, electrical detonators, wiring, batteries, and associated hardware. All three suspects were apprehended directly at the scene.

Case records reveal that the raid was executed using actionable intelligence obtained during the interrogation of Shaykh Abdur Rahman, the top leader of JMB, who was held in RAB custody in Dhaka at the time. Following the operation, RAB-7 Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Md Joynal Abedin formally lodged a criminal case under the Explosive Substances Act at the Comilla Kotwali Model Police Station.

Prolonged Trial and Judicial Conclusion

The trial spanned twenty years due to procedural complexities and lengthy evidentiary reviews. Over the course of the judicial process, the tribunal recorded sworn testimonies from 13 prosecution witnesses. The prosecution presented crucial evidence, including the physical seizure list, expert reports on the chemical components, and physical bomb-making apparatus recovered from Roushan Villa.

Comilla District Public Prosecutor (PP) Kaimul Haq Rinku noted that the case had generated intense public interest across the region when the raid originally occurred. He emphasized that the tribunal arrived at its guilty verdict after meticulous review of witness statements, forensic records, and defense testimonies, successfully bringing a long-standing terrorism case to a definitive legal conclusion.