Yunus Releasing Top Terrorists, latest being acquittal of Al Qaeda-Linked Major

Agartala, Jan 08, 2025, By Our Correspondent116

Bangladesh’s Interim Government Faces Global Condemnation Over Acquittal of Al Qaeda-Linked Major

In a move that has ignited intense controversy, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh has initiated steps to acquit Syed Zia-ul Haque, a former Bangladesh Army major with alleged ties to Al Qaeda, who remains a high-priority fugitive for the United States.

The US Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, through its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, had offered a reward of up to $5 million in December 2021 for information leading to the capture or conviction of Haque, also known as Major Zia. This fugitive, along with accomplice Akram Hussain and four others, is implicated in a 2015 terrorist attack in Dhaka that brutally claimed the life of US citizen Avijit Roy and left his wife, Rafida Bonya Ahmed, critically injured. Roy and Ahmed, both US citizens of Bangladeshi origin, were targeted with machetes while visiting a book fair. Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist organization operating out of Bangladesh, later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Zia’s violent history extends beyond this attack. He fled to Pakistan after being implicated in other high-profile murders, including those of publisher Foysal Arefin Dipon and activists Julhas Mannan and Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy. In 2016, Bangladeshi authorities placed a bounty of Tk 2 million on his capture. Further back, in 2011, Zia played a key role in orchestrating a failed military coup in Bangladesh.

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, Bangladesh has experienced increasing instability. The Yunus administration has been accused of empowering radical Islamist factions and systematically eroding counterterrorism efforts. Among its contentious policies is the comprehensive relaxation of security protocols for Pakistani nationals applying for visas, a move that facilitated Zia’s return to Dhaka on a Pakistani passport just weeks ago. Upon his return, Zia reportedly filed for acquittal from all charges, the removal of his name from the “most-wanted” list, and the withdrawal of the bounty on December 29, 2024.

Allegations of judicial conflict of interest have also emerged. Reports indicate that Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, head of the International Crimes Tribunal’s disappearance committee tasked with reviewing Zia’s case, is Zia’s father-in-law.

This is not the first time the Yunus administration has faced backlash over such actions. Islamist figures like Jashimuddin Rahmani, leader of the Ansarullah Bangla Team, were exonerated under its watch. Following his release, Rahmani openly called for jihad in India and endorsed the extremist ideology of “Ghazwa-e-Hind.” Critics argue that these developments signify Bangladesh’s descent into becoming a haven for extremist networks and a destabilizing force in South Asia.

Renowned journalist and counterterrorism expert Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury has warned of the grave implications of Zia’s potential acquittal. “Such decisions could turn Bangladesh into a launchpad for terrorism, posing a threat to regional and global stability,” Choudhury wrote in BLiTZ. He further highlighted the mounting concerns over Bangladesh’s eroding international credibility and its potential isolation on the world stage.

Choudhury also criticized alleged support from the Biden administration for the Yunus government, claiming it was part of a geopolitical strategy to counterbalance India’s influence in South Asia. He warned that this support might inadvertently embolden Pakistan to exploit Bangladesh as a base for terrorism and transnational drug trafficking.

With the US presidency set to transition to Donald Trump later this month, analysts predict a shift in US foreign policy. Bangladesh could face severe sanctions if the Yunus administration continues on its current trajectory. Experts warn that Yunus’s actions are pushing the country into a dangerous spiral of anarchy, jeopardizing its future stability and security.