Militants planned to kill the Imam in Sholakia last year, confesses suspect

Last year's Sholakia attack aimed at killing Maolana Fariduddin Masud, who heads the country's largest Eid congregation in Kishoreganj.

Neo-JMB operative Rajib Gandhi has revealed the information during his appearance in a Kishoreganj court on Thursday.

"The militants initially targeted Maolana Masud but they attacked police at a checkpoint near the prayer ground in face of confrontation," Police Inspector Md Murshed Zaman said quoting Rajib.

"He has also confessed to plotting and funding the Gulshan cafe attack," the police officer told bdnews24.com

Police took Rajib Gandhi alias Subhash alias Jahid to court on Thursday after questioning him in custody for three days.

Kishoreganj's Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Iqbal Mahmud recorded his statement.

Last year in July, militants carried out a suicide attack near Sholakia Eid prayer ground, killing four.

Two policemen and one militant, Abir Rahman, died on the scene while one housewife died after a stray bullet hit her in his house in the same neighbourhood. Eight policemen and three pedestrians suffered injuries.

The Sholakia incident came a week after the Gulshan café attack in Dhaka on Jul 1 last year.

Police arrested Rajib on Feb 26 in cases filed over 23 militant attacks across the country.

He was taken back to Kishoreganj District Jail after the hearing.