Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Masudur Rahman said that they were arrested from the capital's Uttara, Tikatuli areas and Narayanganj on Friday night.
They were Md Rafik Ahmed aka ‘Sajid’, 38, Md Omar aka ‘Faizul’ aka ‘Rabi’, 25, Md Nadim Ahmed aka ‘Sumon’, 30, and Md Salauddin Ahmed, 29.
Powerful explosives, detonators and bomb making materials were found with them, added the police official.
An official who led the raid told bdnews24.com, “The men are active members of the Harkatul Jihad. Sajid is an organizer and he also collected funds from Bangladesh and Pakistan.”
Omar, he said, is a final year honours student studying Chemistry at Dhaka’s Prime Asia University. He has the ability to make bombs and was recruited for it.
The others - Nadim and Salauddin were suppliers of materials used to make bombs.
Joint Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Monirul Islam, in the press briefing after their arrest, said the group was conspiring to cause violence in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong.
They also planned to attack Abdul Latif Siddique, who has been recently dropped from the cabinet and the ruling Awami League for his remarks against Hajj. Other secular politicians were also on their hit-list as well some important government offices and public structures.
The officials said that they were trying to gather many banned militant outfits under a single banner of ‘Bangladesh Jihadi Group’.
More details will be unravelled once those arrested are taken on remand, said the joint police commissioner.