Several years ago, sacked military officer Shahid Uddin Khan (Army No: BA002428, Course: 8-BMA, Commission Date: 10-06-1983), his wife and daughters entered Britain with millions of dirty cash.

In 2009, Shahid Uddin Khan invested millions of pounds in the United Kingdom in exchange for obtaining immigrant status under Visa Tier 1, vide VAF No. 511702. Prior to fleeing Bangladesh, Shahid Uddin Khan, his wife Farjana Anjum and daughters have committed series of financial crimes, while they also were involved in money-laundering, drug trafficking, dealing in counterfeit India currency bills whereas according to court documents, Shahid Uddin Khan was funding terrorist groups in Bangladesh, including ISIS Bangladesh.

According to the US Department of State, several terrorist groups in Bangladesh such as ISIS-Bangladesh, Hizb Ut Tahrir, Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Army of Islam, Harakat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HuJI), Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B), Kata’ib Hizballah, and Ansar Al Islam, Ansarallah have been designated until May 2022.

In addition to this list, several terrorist groups such as Allah’r Dal, pro-Hamas Palestinian Liberation Solidarity Front, Hizbullah Bangladesh, Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB), Towhidi Janata, Khatmey Nabuyat Movement, Ahley Hadis, and Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) have also formed alliance with BNP, while there is secret connections between pro-Caliphate Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI).

Commenting on existence of terrorist and jihadist groups in Bangladesh, the US Department of State in a 2019 report said:

“Bangladesh experienced a small increase in terrorist activity in 2019.  ISIS claimed six IED attacks, five of which were directed at Bangladesh police.  ISIS’s At-Tamkin media outlet released a Bangla-language propaganda video outlining its campaign against the Bangladesh government and other declared enemies.  As in prior years, the Bangladesh government denied that Bangladesh-based terrorists have meaningful ties to transnational terror groups, including ISIS or AQIS.  In November, the Bangladesh government formally granted operational authority to a national Antiterrorism Unit. Also, in November, the CT Special Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced seven individuals to death for their supporting roles in the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack, in which attackers claiming allegiance to ISIS killed 20 people, including one American.  However, ongoing deficits in Bangladesh’s judicial system contribute to a decade-long backlog of terrorism cases and a conviction rate estimated at less than 15 percent.  The Bangladesh government continued to articulate a “zero tolerance” policy toward terrorism and the use of its territory as a terrorist safe haven.  In December, the Bangladesh government, in concert with the US Embassy, the UN, and other partners, hosted its inaugural National CVE Conference aimed at producing a national CVE strategy”.

Being a funder of Islamic State Bangladesh (ISIS-Bangladesh) although Interpol-wanted terror funder Shahid Uddin Khan should have been designated by the US Department of State months ago, according to latest information he is yet to be included in this list.

Financial crimes and criminal activities of Shahid Uddin Khan

In 2009, an individual named Md. Younus Ali filed a Criminal Revision Suit number 4466 against Md. Shahid Uddin Khan and his accomplices under section 417, 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Bangladesh Penal Code. After remaining absconder for couple of years, Shahid Uddin Khan surrendered before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court Number 17 on April 27, 2011 and sought bail. The court granted bail against bail bond submitted by his lawyer.

After taking bail, Shahid Uddin Khan again went absconding and on May 28, 2013, during the court proceedings Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Asaduzzaman Nur fixed the next date of hearing on July 10, 2013 showing Md. Shahid Uddin Khan and other accused as absconders.

Following appearing in the court on April 27, 2011 and getting bail, Md. Shahid Uddin Khan or his lawyers had never appeared before the trial court. Meanwhile the trial proceedings continued and on April 28, 2019, after nine years of lodging of the case, Md. Kaisarul Islam, 4th additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had pronounced the verdict handing Shahid Uddin Khan and two of his accomplices with five year’s rigorous imprisonment.

The case of Younus Ali and conviction of Shahid Uddin Khan:

A land measuring 613 decimal was owned by Md. Younus Ali in Dhaka city’s Bhola area [under Gulshan Police Station]. But on October 11, 2009, Md. Shahid Uddin Khan with the help of his accomplices Nurul Islam alias Nazrul Islam and Babul Mia made a forged ownership document and illegally grabbed the land.

Subsequently, as the matter of forgery came to the knowledge of Md. Younus Ali, he tried to protest such illegal activities. At this stage, Md. Shahid Uddin Khan sent his armed cadre Akidul Ali and few members of a militancy group named Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB) as well as hired goons and threatened Younus Ali of dire consequences if he did not step back from any legal actions against Md. Shahid Uddin Khan and his gang’s forgery.

According to statement of Younus Ali, Shahid Uddin Khan had threatened him of getting killed by his armed men and even reminded him that he [Shahid] was an Awami League member and the Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed was his batchmate and he had people in Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Shahid also told Ali that, if he ever uttered a word on the matter, Younus Ali along with other members of his family would be killed.

Criminal gangs led by Md. Shahid Uddin Khan attacked Younus Ali and opened fire when Ali got shot in his leg. It is alleged by Younus Ali that on the day of his being shot by Shahid Uddin Khan and his gang, Ali was threatened of being killed if he did not silently leave the property at illegal occupation of Md. Shahid Uddin Khan.

Defying Khan’s threats, as Younus Ali lodged the case number 4466/09 on December 30, 2009, Shahid Uddin Khan applied numerous tactics of delaying the trial process by engaging expensive lawyers as well as obstructing Younus Ali’s and his lawyers from appearing in the court. Shahid Uddin Khan and his men had even told the lawyers of Younus Ali that, if they ever would appear in the court, they would be murdered right inside the court premises.

Most importantly, Md. Shahid Uddin Khan spent huge amount of money and exerting wrong influence of various individuals and had managed in getting bails without physical appearance in the court during 6 court dates in 3 years, which is unprecedented in the history of Bangladesh.

He also filed a Criminal Miscellaneous Case number 25975 of 2013 with the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court under section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure and got the trial process of the case number 4466/09 stayed.

Later, as the lawyers of Shahid Uddin Khan did not appear before the High Court Division, Younus Ali moved petition seeking vacating the stay order and Justice Md. Badruzzaman of the High Court Division subsequently vacated the stay and instructed the trial court to continue the trial process.

During those days, Shahid Uddin Khan was maintaining a huge gang of notorious terrorists, militants and hooligans against monthly payment, who were assigned to protect Khan’s interests and support his illegal activities.

Shahid Uddin Khan was hosting parties in Bangladesh spending hugely, where he was inviting influential individuals and later capitalize from such connections.

None of the victims of Shahid Uddin Khan had the courage of initiating any legal action against him as people used to know, Khan was having many friends in Bangladesh Army and RAB while the Chief of the Armed Forces was his very intimate friend and batchmate.

As he fled Bangladesh almost 18 months back and there is no sign of his return to the country, victims of Shahid Uddin Khan are now having the courage of coming forwards and lodging allegations against him.

Taking undue advantages of having his batchmates within the top army officials including the Chief of Army Staff, Shahid Uddin Khan was actively participating into various notorieties including sending pseudo-letters against some of the top military officials as well was conspiring of various anti-State and subversive plots. As the matter came to the authority’s concern, he was declared Persona Non Grata (PNG) within the Cantonment areas.

To be continued

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings