2 'JMB operatives' held in capital

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained two 'operatives' of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in the capital yesterday.

The arrestees have been identified as Romij Uddin Bhuiyan alias Babu, 34, and Shayekh Arif Hossain, 41.

The Rab official, at a press conference, said Arif is a fugitive criminal, a JMB shura member and ameer of its recruitment wing for Dhaka metropolitan east.

Ramij is also a JMB shura member and fugitive in a case filed with Rupganj Police Station.

Both of them used to teach at schools.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-11 yesterday conducted separate raids and arrested Arif and Ramij from Khilgaon and Mugda areas in Dhaka.

Lt Col Kamrul Hasan, commanding officer of Rab-11, said the duo was involved in recruiting new members for JMB.

The elite forces also seized militancy related books and pamphlets from Arif's possession, he added.