Police surround Chapai Nawabganj ‘militant den’

Firing has been heard as security forces prepared to raid a suspected militant den in Chapai Nawabganj.

Chapai Nawabganj Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 26 April 2017, 05:20 AM
Updated : 26 April 2017, 06:17 AM

Police surrounded the house of Saidur Rahman aka Jentu Biswas in Shibganj’s Trimohoni village early on Wednesdayafter receiving intelligence inputs about militant presence there, said district superintendent of Police PM Mujahidul Islam.

Bullets were fired at police once the building was surrounded, Gomstapur Circle ASP Mainul Islam told bdnews24.com. Police then returned fire.

“According to our information, four persons , including a militant named ‘Abu’ (30), his wife and child may be inside. We have told them to surrender. People from nearby houses have been evacuated.”

Counter-terrorism and SWAT forces are on their way from Dhaka . The raid will begin once they arrive, said ASP Mainul.

“A shot was fired from inside the house around dawn once it was surrounded,” Counter-terrorism Unit Deputy Commissioner Mahibul Islam told bdnews24.com. “We cannot confirm how many explosives or weapons may be inside.”

In the interest of public safety, a curfew under Section 144 has been declared in Shibnagar and the surrounding areas, said Shibganj UNO Shafiqul Islam.

Occasional firing can be heard at a distance from the area. Police have restricted media access to the area in the interest of safety.

According to locals, the home’s owner, 75-year-old Jentu Biswas has allowed Abu to live in the house for about three months without paying rent. Abu runs a stall in the local bazar.

Police also raided three homes in the Kanshat Union’s Abbas Bazar area earlier in the day, but found no militant presence.

Recent raids in the Chittagong and Sylhet divisions were followed by an operation on a home in Jhenaidah on Fridayand Saturday. Police say they recovered ‘many explosives and bomb-making materials’ in the raid.

Another operation was conducted in Rajshahi on Tuesday, but police found no militant presence there.