Suspected militant held as joint forces seize arms, explosives in Rajshahi raid

The detainee, Muntasirul Alam Anindya, had previously been arrested in connection with the murder of Rajshahi University teacher AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique

Joint forces have detained a man with previous militancy-related arrests after recovering a cache of weapons and bomb-making materials in a raid on a house in Rajshahi city.

The operation began early on Saturday in the city’s Kadirganj area, which was later cordoned off by the Army. A neighbouring building was also searched, police said.

The detainee, 35-year-old Muntasirul Alam Anindya, runs an English language centre called "Doctor English" at the location. He is the son of former Rajshahi BNP vice-president Shafiul Alam Latku. The house belongs to the family of AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, a presidium member of the Awami League and former mayor of Rajshahi. Anindya, a former student of Rajshahi University, is also a cousin of Liton.

Police said Anindya had earlier been detained following the 2016 Holey Artisan attack on suspicion of militant involvement, as well as in connection with the murder of Rajshahi University English professor AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique.

Recovered items included two airguns, a revolver, six locally made weapons, a GPS device, four walkie-talkies, a pair of binoculars, bomb-making materials, passports, national ID cards, six monitors, three computers, three scanners and 35 bottles of liquor.

The Army has not commented on the raid.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesperson Gaziur Rahman said he had no official information about the Army-led operation. “If the detainee is handed over to police, we will share details,” he added.