Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a 'Neo-JMB operative' for alleged involvement in a bomb attack on a mosque inside a naval base in Chittagong nearly two years ago.
They arrested Bablur Rahman alias Rony, an operative of Neo-JMB's Sarwar-Tamim faction, on Monday morning from Arappur in Jhenaidah town, said a local RAB source.
On December 18, 2015, at least 24 people were injured in twin blasts after Friday prayers at the mosque in the Issa Khan Base in the port city.
Local RAB-6 Company Commander Major Monir Ahmed said that Rahman was arrested from the local bus terminal while attempting to travel to the northern part of the country.
Bablur, who hails from the southern district of Satkhira, was a staff at the cafeteria of the navy's Shahid Moazzam Base in Rangamati's Kaptai, Ahmed told a media briefing on Monday.
Quoting his confessional statement, Bablur said his initial target was BNS Shaheed Moazzam Base's mosque but it was later changed to the mosque at the Issa Khan Base.
Nine months after the bombings, Naval Provost Marshal Commander M Abu Sayeed filed a case with the police on September 3 last year.
Police filed the chargesheet with the court on October 5 this year, pressing charges against five persons.
With Bablur's arrest on Monday, four suspects are now in police custody. The other three are brothers, Abdul Mannan and Abdul Gaffar, and one Ramzan Ali.
The fifth suspect, M Shakhawat Hossain, a former member of the Bangladesh Navy, is yet to be arrested.
Investigators said the bombing was carried out at the behest of Chittagong JMB regional coordinator Raisul Islam Khan, who used Noman, Nafees and Fardin.
Police in Bogra said Khan was killed in an explosion while making grenades at the northern district's Sherpur Upazila, reports bdnews24.
Nine days after the navy base attack, police raided Khan's rented home in Chittagong's Hathajari on December 27, where they found firearms, ammunition and uniforms of the Bangladesh Army.
