Acting on a tip-off, a Rab team from Bogra raided Ayub Ali Ansari mosque in Sukhnagar area near Gaibandha circuit house and arrested Ziaur Rahman alias Badal alias Reaz Ahmed. Five of his accomplices escaped, police said.

Last week, Joypurhat police arrested two ehsars of JMB (Jamaatul Mujahideen, Bangladesh).

Reaz is the son of Ismail Ali Kodalkathi village in Chapai Nawabganj district.

He was handed over to police, who produced him before a Magistrate court yesterday, seeking 10 days' remand. The court granted seven days' remand, police said.

During primary interrogation, Reaz told police that he joined JMB three years ago to establish Islamic rule in the country and was subsequently made its 'regional commander'. Recently, he came to Gaibandha with some of his aides to reorganise JMB activities and to boost morale of the militants, police said quoting him.

Police said they hope to extract important information from Reaz during remand. Police also suspects that JMB had a plan to do sabotage or kill any important person as the mosque from where he was arrested is only about 100 yards from the Deputy Commissioner's office.

Ziaur's arrest has created an alarm in police. Arrest of three 'ehsars' in a week proves that they are trying to regroup in Gaibandha and Joypurhat districts, a high police official told this correspondent. Though Gaibandha police continued their hunt for Isamist militants, they could not make any significant progress in nabbing them.

Meanwhile, Gaibandha police have submitted charge sheet against Matin Mehdi, 'second in command' of Allar Dal, an offshoot of JMB and Abdul Aziz in absentia in connection with the August 17 serial bomb blasts. Both the accused are 'regional commanders' of JMB.

Matin Mehdi alias Taroka Matin was earlier arrested by Jhenidah police on October 20, 2003 along with 10 other suspected militants from Pabahati area. But all were released on bail. Jhenidah police recently submitted charge sheet against Matin Mehdi, one of the most wanted militants.