Staff Reporter :
Two suspected members of banned outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) died in a blast in the alleged militant hideout ‘Chowdhury Mansion’, which was cordoned off by members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Sonapahar in Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram early Friday.
The elite force primarily called off the operation when a bomb disposal team entered the house at about 9:00am and they recovered scattered body parts of two JMB men.
Mufti Mahmud Khan, Director of Legal and Media Wing of the elite force, told the reporters in a briefing after completion of the operation nearby of the spot around 11.30am.
The identities of the two deceased could not be known immediately, the RAB spokesman said.
The militants used a one-storey house beside the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, in order that none considers it a den for militants, he said.
The elite force raided based on intelligence that four JMB militants, including a woman, were holed up in the house, said RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan.
The RAB officials called upon the suspected militants to surrender after they cordoned off the house, but the “militants” opened fire and hurled Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs) at the law enforcers, prompting the RAB officials to retaliate with gunfire, the RAB official said.
“Later, a huge explosion was heard at around 4:30am. The militants might have detonated some bombs themselves,” he said.
They were planning for subversive activities, mainly Chattogram court, he claimed.
An AK-22, three pistols and five grenades, huge Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), were also seized from the hideouts, he said, adding that the same AK-22 was used in Dhaka’s Holey Artisan cafe attack, the RAB official said.
Earlier, a team of RAB conducted a drive in Jorarganj area of the upazila around 2:00am and cordoned off the one-storey tin-shed house. At one stage, he said, the militants opened fire and threw bombs at the elite force, prompting them to retaliate. The exchange of fire continued till 4:00am, said Shafayat Jamil Fahim, Commanding Officer of Feni RAB-7 camp.
RAB halted traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway around 3:30am due to the gunfight during the operation. Traffic movement resumed after the gunfight ended.
Local people lined on the highway to see the unfolding predawn raid.
Mazharul Haq, owner of the house located in Sonapahar village, lives in a different neighbourhood, the RAB Feni Camp chief said.
The militant suspects have been staying in the house since September 29 and they did not have national identity cards at the time of renting the five-room house, said the RAB official. RAB took a number of people, including the house owner and caretaker into custody for interrogation, the RAB officials aid.
Two suspected members of banned outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) died in a blast in the alleged militant hideout ‘Chowdhury Mansion’, which was cordoned off by members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Sonapahar in Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram early Friday.
The elite force primarily called off the operation when a bomb disposal team entered the house at about 9:00am and they recovered scattered body parts of two JMB men.
Mufti Mahmud Khan, Director of Legal and Media Wing of the elite force, told the reporters in a briefing after completion of the operation nearby of the spot around 11.30am.
The identities of the two deceased could not be known immediately, the RAB spokesman said.
The militants used a one-storey house beside the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, in order that none considers it a den for militants, he said.
The elite force raided based on intelligence that four JMB militants, including a woman, were holed up in the house, said RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan.
The RAB officials called upon the suspected militants to surrender after they cordoned off the house, but the “militants” opened fire and hurled Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs) at the law enforcers, prompting the RAB officials to retaliate with gunfire, the RAB official said.
“Later, a huge explosion was heard at around 4:30am. The militants might have detonated some bombs themselves,” he said.
They were planning for subversive activities, mainly Chattogram court, he claimed.
An AK-22, three pistols and five grenades, huge Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), were also seized from the hideouts, he said, adding that the same AK-22 was used in Dhaka’s Holey Artisan cafe attack, the RAB official said.
Earlier, a team of RAB conducted a drive in Jorarganj area of the upazila around 2:00am and cordoned off the one-storey tin-shed house. At one stage, he said, the militants opened fire and threw bombs at the elite force, prompting them to retaliate. The exchange of fire continued till 4:00am, said Shafayat Jamil Fahim, Commanding Officer of Feni RAB-7 camp.
RAB halted traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway around 3:30am due to the gunfight during the operation. Traffic movement resumed after the gunfight ended.
Local people lined on the highway to see the unfolding predawn raid.
Mazharul Haq, owner of the house located in Sonapahar village, lives in a different neighbourhood, the RAB Feni Camp chief said.
The militant suspects have been staying in the house since September 29 and they did not have national identity cards at the time of renting the five-room house, said the RAB official. RAB took a number of people, including the house owner and caretaker into custody for interrogation, the RAB officials aid.
