Authorities suspect 17 Islamist NGOs of funding to terrorism
by Sumon Corraya

Most of these NGOs are controlled by Jamaat-e-Islam, and are based in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. The main ones are the Bangladesh Krishi Kalyan Samity, Muslim Aid Bangladesh, Rabeta Al-Alam al-Islami, Qatar Charitable Society, Islamic Relief Agency, International Islamic Relief Organisation (IRO), Hayatul Ighachha, Revival of Islamic Heritage Society, Tawhidi Noor, and al-Muntada al-Islami.


Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Bangladeshi intelligence services and the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) are checking the financial transactions involving 17 national and international NGOs on suspicion of financing terrorism.

Most of these NGOs are under the control of Jamaat-e-Islami, and are based in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other Middle East countries.

The NGOs include the Bangladesh Krishi Kalyan Samity, Muslim Aid Bangladesh, Rabeta Al-Alam al-Islami, Qatar Charitable Society, Islamic Relief Agency, Al-Furkan Foundation, Kuwait Joint Relief Committee, International Islamic Relief Organization (IRO), Hayatul Ighachha, Revival of Islamic Heritage Society, Tawhidi Noor, and Al-Muntada al-Islami.

According to the BFIU 2014 annual report, there were 619 such suspicious transactions in Bangladesh, up from 420 a year before, and 175 in 2011-2012. The growth is alarming.

On 1 June, the issue of terror funding was discussed at a meeting with ministers Amir Hossain Amu and Asaduzzaman Khan, said BFIU General Manager Devprasad Debnath.