The plan of attacking Chittagong’s Sadarghat police station, which has been foiled with the arrest of two suspected militants, was drawn up primarily to discourage women’s participation in the police forces as the officer-in-charge of the mentioned police station is a woman.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Detective Branch (West) and Chittagong Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) unit chief AAM Humayun Kabir confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune.
“Through this attack, the militant wanted to propagate a message that they do not like the authority of women,” he said. “Other motives of the attack were to demoralise the police and create panic among the people.”
Earlier on Monday night, two suspected militants, Asfaqur Rahman alias Rasel, 22 and Raqibul Hasan Jony alias Salahuddin, 19, of the banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (New JMB) was arrested with 10 grenades from East Madarbari area in Chittagong.
The arrestees have primarily confessed that they had a plan to attack police stations in the city, said the official.
Mosque inside the police station creates easy access
According to DB Additional Deputy Commissioner AAM Humayun Kabir, the militants picked the Sadarghat police station because of its easy access.
He said: “There is a mosque inside the boundary of Sadarghat police station premises and that’s why people have free access to the station.”
Militants choose populous area to take shelter
To dodge the law enforcers and avoid attention, the militants choose a populated area mostly inhabited by a low-income group of people.
The militants rented the top floor of Minu Bhaban, a five-storey building inhabited by single young men at Madarbari area under Sadarghat police station in the city.
The detail sketch of the attack plan
According to police sources, someone using the name Misbah rented the house two months ago identifying himself as a tyre businessman. While renting the house, Misbah told the building owner that he came to Chittagong to collect old tyres.
The police said that the national identity card provided to the house owner by Misbah was a fake one. After renting the house, the militants used to stay at the house at regular intervals.
According to the police, both the arrested militants fled from their respective families months ago.
Ashfaqur Rahman, 21, hailed from Mymensingh while Raqibul Hassan, 20 hailed from Comilla. Ashfaqur studied upto ninth grade while Raqibul studied upto seventh grade at a madrasa.
The arrested militants claimed that they belonged to New JMB, a banned militant outfit.
DB’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (West) AAM Humayun Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune that a small group of 5 to 6 militants were assigned with the task of carrying out subversive activities in the port city.
As part of the suicidal mission, Ashfaqur and Raqibul came to Chittagong a couple of months ago.
Apps-based communication among militants
The militants told the police that they did not meet their supreme leader in person and used to communicate with their commander-in-chief or emir “Don” through special apps.
Two militants placed on 7-day remand
A Chittagong court yesterday (Tuesday) placed the militants on a seven-day remand.
The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Salem Md Noman gave the order when the accused were placed before the court with a 10-day remand plea.
Earlier, Inspector Rajesh Barua of the CTTC filed a case with Sadarghat police station against the two arrested militants.