‘Terror den’ in Ctg: SWAT enforcement arrives from Dhaka, operation any moment

A ‘special team’ of the police counter-terrorism unit from Dhaka have arrived Chittagong to conduct an anti-terror operation in a suspected militant hideout at Sitakunda.

“A SWAT team reached scene at around 1am. A little while later a special unit of counter-terrorism police reached there,” said a source in the local police department.

“The operation is imminent,” he added. 

Additional Deputy Commissioner of counter-terrorism unit Sanwar Hossain, who successfully took part in many anti-terror operations in different parts of the country, was there to start the operation.

In a Facebook post, Sanwar sought everyone’s blessings ‘for the success of the police operation.’

The strike team included members from the SWAT, bomb disposal units and LIC unit members from the police headquarters.

“The law enforcers have surrounded the two-storied house ‘Chyanir’ for quite some time now but final preparation for the operation began after the special unit arrived from Dhaka,” said additional police super (North) Moshiuddohla Reza.    

Earlier, a couple was arrested in operation in a suspected militant hideout at Chittagong's Sitakunda while police and SWAT members cordoned another suspected ‘terror-den’ nearby.

Law enforcing agencies were preparing to raid the house at Premtoli in a nearby ward at the municipal town on Wednesday night, the source said.

Local police raided the ground floor of a two-storey house, 'Sadhan Kutir', at Amirabad of Namar Bazar Ward around 3pm after receiving a tip-off from the building's owner.

A couple, 'Jashim' and 'Arjina', were arrested from there with weapons, police said.

Hand-bombs hurled from inside a hideout left an officer injured. RAB and SWAT teams were present on site.

The information they divulged led to the raid on the building named 'Chhayaneer', located at Choudhuryparha of Premtala, the neighbouring ward, said Chittagong Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Masiuddoulah Reza.

"We found suicide vests, explosives and other weapons inside the house at Namar Bazar. Police's bomb disposal unit is working on the site," he told bdnews24.com.

He said Sitakunda police Inspector Mozammel Haque was injured by a grenade during the operation at Premtala.

"We are working to capture the militants inside the house."

An eyewitness at Namar Bazar, Ward Councillor Shafiul Islam Chowdhury Murad, said he came to Premtala with the police team that raided 'Sadhan Kutir'.

"Inspector Mojammel was leading the operation. A grenade was hurled from the second storey as soon as he approached the house at Premtala. It wounded his feet, and he fell to the ground. Then OC Iftekhar Hasan took the lead and cordoned off the house."

At least seven grenades were hurled from inside during the operation, he said.

"The explosions shook the ground it seemed. They seemed powerful. A few families are trapped inside the building."

SWAT teams have surrounded the building the Premtala and completed reconnaissance of the area, said Mostafa Yusuf, bdnews24.com correspondent, who was present at the site.

A white APC was parked outside, and high-capacity lights were being used to illuminate the area.

"The landlord told us there are three people on the second storey. They are fully surrounded. We are prepared to catch them," said Chittagong Range DIG Mohang Shafikul Islam.

"We are working to evacuate the families trapped in the lower floor."