8 JMB, ABT men arrested

Eight suspected operatives of banned militant outfits Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) have been arrested in Natore and Lalmonirhat.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested five suspected JMB members from Natore's Boraigram upazila early yesterday, reports our correspondent.

The arrestees are Jubayer Hossain, 35, son of late Azimuddin of Dogasi village, Mostafizur Rahman alias Farhad, 36, son of Moksed Ali, Ashraful Islam, 32, son of Makbul Hossain of Dogasi village, Mohammad Alauddin alias Abbas, 38, son of Belal Hossain of Gonaihati village and Mohammad Zakaria, 23, son of Razab Ali Sarker of Borni village in the upazila.

ASP Azmal Hossain, company commander of Natore unit Rab, said Jubayer Hossain is regional chief of JMB.

The elite force also seized seven books on jihad and three leaflets from the arrestees, he said.

Meanwhile, Rab in separate drives arrested three alleged members of JMB and ABT from Lalmonirhat on Friday, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.

Mozammel Haque, commanding officer (CO) of Rab-13, informed this at a press briefing at his office in Rangpur yesterday.

The arrestees are Mehedi Hasan alias Saddam Hossain alias Sabuj, 22, a Dawate ameer member and chief coordinator of ABT of Lalmonirhat district, and JMB members Ruhul Amin, 22, son of Jaminur Rahman of Shamserpur village, and Khokon Mia, 21, son of Soleman Ali of Lalitahat village in Patgram upazila.

During the raid, police seized a pistol, two bullets and  books on jihad from the possession of Mehedi, said the CO.