Over two dozen bombs have been recovered by Chittagong police following Thursday's raid on a Sitakunda militant den, in what is being described as the biggest ever haul of explosives from a terrorist hideout.
Superintendent of Chittagong Police (SP) Noor E Alam Mina confirmed that officials of Chittagong Metropolitan (CMP) Bomb Disposal Unit recovered a total of 25 bombs of different sizes from the first and second room of the militants’ flat in “Chhayaneer” over the last two days.
Police officials said they also recovered a drum of explosives from the second room yesterday.
On Saturday, the police recovered 13 more grenades, 50 kilogrammes of acid and 200 litres of hydrogen peroxide from five containers in the den.
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Bomb Disposal Unit officials told the Dhaka Tribune that seven bombs were diffused on Saturday and a further 18 were disposed of yesterday.
The haul, from a building named Chhayaneer in Sitakunda, some 40km from Chittagong city, also included 4 very powerful bombs according to the police superintendent.
When asked about the “Dawlatul Islam” graffiti – Arabic for “Islamic State” – written on a wall in the hideout, SP Mina said: “The mission and vision of the militants are the same even if there are factions. 'Dawlatul Islam' is new to the police and the Chittagong police have informed the higher authorities and experts on the matter and they will conduct their own investigation on this.”
“Dawlatul Islam” – an Arabic phrase written in Bangla characters – was found etched beneath “Allahu Akbar” in Arabic on the wall of the dining room.
He said mobile phones and laptops which the militants had deliberately tried to destroy had been sent to the forensic lab for data recovery.
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The bodies of Kamal and Zubaira, the militant couple killed in the raid, were identified by Zubaira's parents and brother, the SP said.
He added that the family has not confirmed whether they would claim the bodies.
Four militants – Kamal, Zubaira, Rafid and Ayad – were killed in the raid on Thursday. The latter two who police say blew themselves up to avoid arrest were allegedly cousins who went missing from Mirpur in 2016.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
