Members of law enforcing agencies have cordoned off a 'suspected militant hideout' at Maona area of Gazipur.
They began the operation at the two-storey building in Sreepur municipality’s Kewa West Khanda (near Maona Alhera Hospital) before dawn on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
Police personnel were seen surrounding the building on Sunday afternoon.
The Counter Terrorism Unit is providing back-up to the Police Headquarters Intelligence Wing Lawful Interception Cell at the scene, Deputy Commissioner of CT Mohibul Islam Khan said.
“We believe the old faction of the JMB still has a hideout here,” Counter Terrorism Unit ADC Abdul Mannan said.
“More details will be available after the operation is completed,” he said.
Weapons and explosives were found at the scene and a bomb disposal unit from Dhaka has arrived in Maona to disarm them, a police official said.
The owner of the building, retired police official Rafiqul Islam, told the media that police came to the building early that morning.
They detained tenant Abdur Rahman and searched the building for an hour or so and found three pistols and four explosives.
“They showed me a pistol. But they left the bombs in the tenant’s room. Police from Dhaka are to come and disarm them,” Rafiqul Islam said.
The house owner said he rented the room to Abdur Rahman and his wife Shamsunnahar two months ago for Tk 3,500.
Rahman had told him that he was a driver and drove a car for a vehicle rental business.
According to the landlord, Rahman hails from Kaliganj village in Dinajpur’s Debiganj Upazila. Police have not released any details on the matter.
