The Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) of Bangladesh Police arrested nine suspected members of the banned militant outfit "Allahr Dal" from Sylhet.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of ATU conducted a raid and arrested them from a house in Arambagh area of the city around 10.30pm on Wednesday. ATU Superintendent of Police Md Mahiduzzaman confirmed in a press briefing held in Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Headquarter yesterday.
The arrested were Md Manik Akanda alias Md Mehedi Hasan, 32, of Bogura, Md Jahir Uddin Babor, 20, of Noakhali, Md Abul Kalam Azad, 20, of Comilla, Md Tomi Uddin Sumon, 30, of Sunamganj, Md Ashraful Islam, 29, of Rajshahi, Md Rasel Ahmmed, 24, Md Kamal Ahmed, 25, Md Jewel Ahmed, 24 and Md Swapan Ahmmed of Sylhet district.
"The arrested were produced before a Sylhet court on Thursday where SMP sought a 10-day remand and the court granted 5-day remand for each. They will be taken to Dhaka for interrogation," SMP Assistant Commissioner Amulla Vushan Choudhury said.
During the press briefing, SP Mahiduzzaman said: "The arrested were under surveillance for a long time. All of them are the followers of previously arrested leader of "Allahr Dal" Motin Mehedy."
They admitted that they were holding a meeting to share their extreme ideology and plot terrorist attack to create disorder in the country during primary interrogation, SP Mahiduzzaman added.
A case was filed against them with ShahPoran police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.