Garment factory owner held for ‘funding militancy’

A garment factory owner and his driver have been arrested by Rapid Action Battalion for their alleged involvement in supplying firearms and funding militancy.

Imran Ahmed, 37, managing director of Jim Tex, is said to be a Majlish-e-Sura member of Sarwar-Tamim group of “Neo JMB”, Dhaka City West unit, according to a press release sent from Rab headquarters.

Imran, hailed from Pirojpur, was arrested from Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj and Shamim was arrested in Brahmanbaria, said Mufti Mahmud Khan, director of the force's legal and media wing, at a press briefing at its media centre at Karwan Bazar.

In primary interrogation, Imran admitted to his involved with the militant outfit, said Mufti Mahmud said.

The Rab official said Imran gave shelter to one militant suspect Sajid at his Mohakhali residence, who fled from the militant den of ‘Atia Mahal’ in Sylhet where four militants were killed during a four–day operation that officially ended on March 28.

Sajid was said to be a close aide of the new ameer of Neo JMB, Abu Muharib, the Rab official said.

Imran used to collect members for the terror group in Gulshan, Banani and Mirpur areas of Dhaka city, he added.

The elite force members also recovered arms, a huge cache of jihadi books from the possession of the arrestees.