 JAMALPUR, Dec 14: Just-held Ataur Rahman Sunny is the youngest of four brothers of fugitive JMB supremo Shaikh Abdur Rahman, reports UNB. Shaikh Rahman's other brother, Maulana Obaidur Rahman, is now in Jamalpur jail. Another brother, Maulana Oliur Rahman, is now in Madina.
| That's three out of, I presume, four brothers, all in jug. And all of them holy men, too! Mom must be so proud! |
Sunny hailed from Charshi Khalifapara, Jamalpur sadar. He passed Dhakil examination from Kamalkhan Hat Senior Madrasa. He started his academic life staying at the residence of his father Maulana Abdullah ibne Fazal at Naodapara in Rajshahi.
| "When I grow up, Dad, I wanna be a holy man, just like you!" |
Later on, Sunny passed Honours from Islamic University in Kushtia where he got involved in politics of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.
| Oh, doesn't that come as a surprise. |
He became prominent Shibir leader on the campus.
| All the pledges were terrified of him. |
While at the Islamic University, according to available disclosure, he switched over to militant activities of JMB headed by his brother Shaikh Rahman. He built up JMB network with Jamaat and Shibir activists. Then he started functioning as Commander of JMB's armed wing.
| "I got me a shutter gun! Now I can be chief of the armed wing!" |
Sunny acquired expertise through special training in bomb manufacturing and began leading JMB's suicide squad-or so the story runs.
| I have my doubts he had any practical experience as a suicide bomber. I think he was all talk and no boom... |
The arrested members of JMB suicide squad confessed to police that they had received training from Sunny.
"See? All you gotta do is press this here plunger, you blow up, and it's 72 virgins time!"
"Ummm... You didn't blow up."
"This is a training boom vest." |
Sunny led the simultaneous serial bombings in 63 districts on August 17. He is also involved in the bomb blast in Chittagong. He took all the suicide attackers to Chittagong.
| "Get on the bus! Get on the bus! We're goin' to Chittagong to explode! Oboy, oboy!" |
Local people have heard that Sunny trained in bomb making in the once-Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
"Another Banglaboy for boom training, Mahmoud!"
"Oh, don't he look ferocious in that turban!" |
In 2000, Sunny was arrested along with 18 other militants after a gun-battle between suspected JMB militants and police at Khetlal in Joypurhat when a conference of the JMB militants was underway. Later, he managed his release allegedly on the blessings of some influential Jamaat leaders and went into hiding.
| The surprise! I can't take the surprise! My heart! I... [THUD!] |
Since then, he continued underground activities. Before the August 17 bombings, he had set up a secret militant camp at the remote Gonarchar in Sharisabari of Jamalpur on the bank of Jamuna River. He used to stay in different districts, including Kushtia, Rajshahi, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Comilla and Gazipur. "Nobody in Jamalpur has seen him in daylight for long," said many at his native place.
| "Aye! He's a creature o' the night! Moves like a ghost, he does!" |
It was learnt that he often visited Ahle Hadith Jame Mosque at Iqbalpur in Jamalpur and met with his brother Maulana Obaidur Rahman.
[KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCKETY KNOCK!]
"Who's there?"
"It's me, Sunny!"
"What's the secret password?"
"Elephant!"
"Okay. You can come in... Gimme the secret handshake!"
[GRIP! GRIP!... GRIP! GRIP! BUMP!]
"Okay. It's him. Putcher guns down, boys!" |
Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai used to come with Sunny and stay at his
residence at Iqbalpur. |