SWAT is preparing to launch an anti-terror raid on Nilufa Villa, one of the two 'militant' hideouts law enforcers had cordoned off in Narsingdi on Monday night.
Security had been tightened around the seven-storey building in the Madhabdi municipality on Wednesday morning. As on Tuesday, entry is restricted within 500m of the building.
Law enforcers have instructed people in the densely-populated area to evacuate to a safe distance. Stores at nearby markets have been ordered closed since Tuesday morning, reports bdnews24.
SWAT team members were seen advancing towards the suspected militant hideout around 9:30am. Law enforcers have not made an announcement on when the final raid will start.
Police Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) chief Monirul Islam told the media after the Bhagirathpur raid on Tuesday that the ‘militants’ in the Madhabdi building would be called on to surrender. No raid would be necessary if they surrendered, he said.
Two bodies had been recovered after the Bhagirathpur raid on Tuesday, Monirul. Police officials believe that ‘more than one’ militant has taken refuge at Nilufa Villa and has arms and explosives.
The owner of Nilufa Villa is one Hajji Md Afzal Hossain. The Miftahul Jannah Mohila Madrasa takes up the first three floors of the building. Police say the militants are in a flat on the fifth floor of the building.
A cloth trader named Billal Hossain owned the five-storey building in Bhagirathpur raided by SWAT on Tuesday. The building is approximately two kilometres away from Nilufa Villa. Police say militants had stayed at a flat on the fifth floor of that building.
The landlords told police that both flats had been rented on Oct 7.
Police personnel from the CTTC and the Lawful Interception Cell (LIC) surrounded the two buildings at 9:00pm on Monday.
They were later joined by RAB. The SWAT team arrived early on Tuesday, followed by the bomb disposal unit later on in the day. They began preparing for the raid.
Police then evacuated residents close to the building and restricted entry within 500 yards of the houses. They advised the people nearby to stay home. Gas and power to the two buildings was cut off.
The fire service sent vehicles to the two buildings and a team of doctors were on standby near the Bhagirathpur building.
The SWAT raid, named ‘Operation Gordian Knot’, began after the suspected militants refused to answer law enforcers' calls to surrender.
Several gunshots were fired from the house at Bhagirathpur.
Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary said the operation was codenamed ‘Gordian Knot’, considering the level of difficulty in the raid.
“The militants are in a better position in the buildings than we are. That’s why the raid has become difficult. They opened fire on us and we retaliated,” he said.
He added that preparations for the Madhabdi raid would be conducted after the Bhagirathpur operation was completed.
CTTC chief Monirul announced the conclusion of the Bhagirathpur operation at 4pm on Tuesday. The bodies of a man and a woman were found inside, he said. Both were about 30 years of age, but had not been identified.
“There were many wounds on the bodies. They could have died from an explosion or have been killed by bullets,” Monirul said.
Four explosives were detonated and a firearm was found on the fifth floor of the building after the raid, Monirul said.
The MO indicates that the dead were members of the Neo-JMB, he said.
“They had prepared four explosives. This indicates they were planning a large attack.”
The suspected militants at the two buildings are ‘connected’, the counter terrorism unit chief added.
