RAB detains two Singapore-return terror suspects in Dhaka

The Rapid Action Battalion or RAB in Dhaka has detained two returnees who were arrested and spent time in jail in Singapore for their involvement in militant activities.

The elite force detained Dawlatuzzaman, 34, and Sohel Howlader, 27, at East Rajarbagh on Saturday night, RAB-3 commander Emranul Hasan told bdnews24.com on Sunday.      

Emranul said a RAB team raided an under-construction building in the area and detained the duo following a tip-off that members of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh or JMB were holding a meeting there.

He said Dawlat and Sohel had been working in Singapore since 2004 and 2009 respectively. They returned home on Sept 26 this year.

"They were inspired by JMB ideology in 2015. Their leader Mizanur Rahman is in Singapore now," Emranul said.

Citing information gathered in initial interrogation of the two, he said they were in jail in Singapore for one and a half years for their link with militancy.

In May last year, Singapore said it had detained eight Bangladeshis for their suspected plans to stage terror attacks in their own country as members of the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB).

It said one of the detained Bangladeshi workers, Mizanur, founded ISB. Two people named Dawlat Zaman and Ismail Howlader Sohel were also among the eight.