Police detain two suspected militants over Ashulia bank robbery

Police have detained two person, suspected of being Jamaa'tul Mujahideen Bangladesh militants, from Tongi in connection with the robbery attempt on Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd’s Ashulia branch.

The incident had left eight dead including seven bank officials, customers and bystanders.

Dhaka’s Superintendent of Police Md Habibur Rahman told bdnews24.com. “They were picked up from the Shatnagar area of Tongi. We found JMB and Islami Chhatra Shibir [Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing] books from them. We suspect they are members of militant groups.”

Police have claimed that the arrested Babul Sardar, 32, and Mintu Pradhan, 28, were directly involved in the bank robbery. 

Dhaka Range Deputy Inspector General SM Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman said, “The two were once Islami Chhatra Shibir henchmen and are currently linked to militant organisations.”

Police had earlier arrested Saiful Islam and Borhan Uddin over Tuesday’s robbery of Bangladesh Commerce Bank’s Ashulia branch. 

The branch in Kathgorha was attacked by 8-10 robbers armed with firearms, sharp weapons and bombs. 

Seven bank officials, customers and bystanders were killed in the attack. A number of others were injured by gunshots and bomb blasts.  

The locals put up a resistance and managed to catch two of them when they fell with their motorcycle while fleeing.

One of them was lynched and the other, ‘Saiful’, was handed over to police after a beating. The motorcycle was torched, and they also managed to recover most of the stolen Tk 700,000. 

On that very night, police picked up Borhan Uddin based on information extracted from Saiful. Both of them were shown arrested in the case filed by the bank over the incident. 

Nuruzzaman said Thursday’s drive was conducted based on information gathered from the duo. “We recovered papers of the burnt motorcycle from the house.”

The seizure list also included gun powder, bomb-making instruments, four machetes, eight knives, magazine of a pistol, two motorcycles and a large number of ‘extremist’ books and pamphlets. 
 
The DIG reiterated his stance on the reason behind the attack. “After these two were arrested, my hunch was that the attack aimed at creating political instability and raising funds for the organisation.” 

The two claimed themselves to be a rickshaw-puller and a garment worker at the media briefing. 

Nuruzzaman said militants take up various professions to hide their true identities. “Borhan, who was arrested before, used to sell popcorn on the streets. This is their technique.”

The police official also said they hoped to soon nab the others involved in the robbery.