A four-storey building in Shyampur, Hemayetpur, Savar, was cordoned off by the police’s Special Security Unit (SSU) and local police on Tuesday evening amid a reported recovery of explosives and bomb-making materials.
The SSU cordoned off the building, owned by local resident Abdul Jalil, around 6:30pm.
An officer involved in the operation told Dhaka Tribune that several cocktails and bomb-making materials had been recovered from the building.
SSU members, along with the bomb disposal unit and local police, were seen stationed outside the building beside a waterlogged road in Shyampur. Journalists and other people were moved away from the area citing security concerns.
A senior official of Savar Model Police Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Our station police were not informed beforehand about the reason for the operation. We were asked to assist with the operation, so we came here. The SSU will provide details later.”
Savar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saiful Alam told Dhaka Tribune that five explosives were recovered from Shyampur in Tetuljhora union on Tuesday night, following which the building owned by Abdul Jalil was cordoned off.
“Based on a tip-off, the SSU conducted a raid in Hemayetpur and arrested a person. Based on information provided by the arrestee, the SSU and bomb disposal unit launched an operation at the building in Shyampur,” he said.
The OC said the arrested person was initially suspected to be a member of the banned militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
“Several JMB leaflets, a few cocktail-like objects, and materials and equipment used to make bombs were recovered from the building. The operation is continuing with the arrested person,” he added.
Dhaka District Police Superintendent Rakibul Hasan Ishan, when contacted for comment, told Dhaka Tribune: “I do not know anything about this.”
