A bomb was exploded during a raid on a suspected militant hideout in a four-story building in Narayanganj on Tuesday.
The incident took place at the third floor of the building located at Borpa’s Aryabo area of Rupganj Upazila when the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) of Police was conducting the drive.
The law enforcement agencies also recovered three bombs from the building.
Members of the specialised police units- Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and ATU-- surrounded the four-story building at around 10:30am and entered the building around 2:00pm.
Mohammad Sanowar Hossain, superintendent of police (SP) of the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), said that members of the banned militant organisation Ansar al-Islam were believed to be hiding in a flat on the third floor.
He mentioned that they had a piece of information about a person, ‘expert in bomb-making’, is staying in one of the flats.
“None was found in the flat during the drive. But three powerful bombs were recovered from the flat,” he said.
Before the drive, Sanowar, who led the operation, said all the residents of the house were evacuated safely and gas and electricity connections were also cut off on safety reason.
Locals reported that about eight years ago, a Saudi expatriate named Zakir Hossain of Brahmanbaria constructed the four-story building and rented it.
Before the raid, Sanowar told reporters that a similar operation was conducted on June 8 and 9 at a suspected militant hideout in Kailati Union of Netrokona Sadar Upazila. Following this, a woman was arrested in Cox’s Bazar on Monday on suspicion of being a militant.
Based on her information, the four-story building in Borpa Aryabo, Rupganj, was identified, and the operation was planned.
In addition to the ATU and SWAT team, members of Rupganj police station were also present at the scene.
Mohammad Shah Newaz, a tenant on the ground floor, said he had been living in the house for three years. None of the family members of the house owner, Zakir Hossain, lives here.
This tenant mentioned that the third-floor flat had been locked for three days.
“Three months ago, a four-member family, comprising husband, wife, and two children, moved into that flat on the third floor. The middle-aged householder works at a private organisation on the Chattogram Road area of Siddhirganj. However, no suspicious activity was noticed in the past three months,” he said.
“In the morning, I saw police surrounded the house. Later, they informed us about the militants and safely evacuated everyone from the house,” he added.
Locals noted that the bomb disposal unit was seen coming out from the building with a ‘bomb-like object’ at 2:45pm.
