Three suspected militants on a motorbike attacked four policemen with acid and sticks at a checkpoint in Old Dhaka early yesterday, leaving two of the law enforcers wounded.

Police captured one of the attackers -- Zubayer -- who admitted during primary interrogation that he is a member of banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), Noor Alam, officer-in-charge of Bangshal Police Station, told The Daily Star.

The 28-year-old militant suspect suffered bullet wounds in his legs as the policemen fired shots in retaliation. The other two attackers managed to escape, he said.

The police official said they seized the motorbike, a bag containing a bottle of acid, electronic devices and explosive materials weighing around 500 grams.

Around 12:30am, Assistant Sub-Inspector Nuruzzaman and Constable Rafiqul Alam, along with two other policemen, stopped the bikers whose faces were covered with cloth at the check post near a chemical market on Mitford Road.

As the policemen were about to frisk the bikers and search their bag, they suddenly threw acid at the law enforcers from a bottle and hit Nuruzzaman with a stick, said Rafiqul, who suffered acid burns on his face.

Rafiqul was receiving treatment at the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, while Nuruzzaman was being treated for head injuries at Mitford Hospital.

Bangshal Police and Counter Terrorism Unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police quizzed Zubayer at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor) where he was receiving treatment, police said.

During primary interrogation, Zubayer gave important information which is being verified, said Noor Alam. 

Seeking anonymity, an official of Counter Terrorism Unit said the detainee gave the names of his two associates who escaped.

“We think those are their organisational names. We will interrogate him further…”

According to the official, the three were heading towards Islampur in Old Dhaka. They attacked the policemen as they were stopped at the checkpoint.