Three trained militants of Pakistan-based Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were held with bomb-making and training manuals from the capital on Sunday night.
Police said they were in Bangladesh to carry out subversive activities before and after the 10th parliamentary elections which held on January 5.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesperson Masudur Rahman said detectives had detained the three TTP members from near Shilpakala Academy at around 11pm on Sunday.
The detained are: Mehmud, 26, son of Ali Ahmmad from Malir, Usman, 23, son of Mohammad Hasem, and Fakrul Hasan, 50, from Kourangi of Pakistan.
Only Fakrul, among the three, owned a Pakistani passport, however with an expired visa, the official said. They were staying at Kakrail and were headed for Teknaf of Cox's Bazar.
They secured Pakistani citizenship with their families from Aracan area, Mayanmar, police said after primary interrogation.
Usman and Fakrul were fluent in Bangla language. Fakrul was the guide for the three in their tour towards Teknaf, detective officials said.
They obtained training from TTP experts in bomb-making, attacking techniques and operation of firearms, according to sources within detective police.
They were said to be planning to become organised in Bangladesh under the banner of Tehrik-e-Azadi Aracan. They will be interrogated further for more information.
The TTP is currently carrying out bomb attacks throughout Pakistan. On Sunday, they claimed responsibility for an attack in Bannu in which 20 people lost their lives.
