Police arrest Ansarullah activist over murders of blogger Niloy, publisher Dipan

An activist of the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team has been arrested for suspected involvement with the murders of blogger Niladri Chatterjee Niloy and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, police say.

The arrest was made late on Friday, said Dhaka metro police (DMP) spokesperson Masudur Rahman.

He, however, did not disclose his identity.

"Details will be provided in a media briefing later," the DMP deputy commissioner told bdnews24.com on Saturday.

On Aug 7, assailants barged into the home of blogger and online activist Niloy at the capital's Gorhan and hacked him to death with sharp weapons.

Around three weeks later, on Aug 31, publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan was found murdered in a similar way in his publishing house office at the Aziz Supermarket in Dhaka.

Since the February 2015 murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy on the Dhaka University campus by machete-wielding assailants, several secular writers and bloggers have been killed.

Police said that banned Islamist outfit Ansarullah was behind the killings.

Its chief Jasimuddin Rahmani is serving a prison term after being convicted for the 2013 murder of Ganajagaran Mancha activist and blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider.