Police have arrested a 23-year-old man, described as a “mastermind” behind threats to blow up the National Parliament, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), law enforcement installations, and military armouries.
The suspect, identified as Md Rahed Hossain Mahed, is a dismissed member of the Bangladesh Army, according to a press release issued by the Moulvibazar district police on Friday.
Moniruzzaman, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Barlekha Police Station, confirmed that Mahed was apprehended at approximately 2:30pm on Thursday from a remote hill in the Bobarthal Shaitghari area. The arrest followed a rigorous 12-hour special operation.
Police stated that Mahed is a member of the banned extremist organisation “Maktabah Al Himmah Addawatul Islamiyah.”
A resident of the Dashghar area in Sylhet’s Bishwanath upazila, Mahed had been in hiding since police headquarters issued a high alert on 23 April regarding potential extremist attacks on key state installations and security forces.
OC Moniruzzaman told TIMES of Bangladesh that Mahed is one of the primary individuals who issued threats against the National Parliament, the PMO, police stations, and army armouries.
A high-stakes operation
The OC noted that the operation was conducted with extreme caution due to Mahed’s military training. “The area was remote – surrounded by jungle – and it was raining,” Moniruzzaman said.
“We conducted the raid through the forest overnight and throughout the following day before finally capturing him”.
Following the arrest, it was revealed that Mahed is an accused in an Anti-Terrorism Act case filed at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station in Dhaka.
The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, which is investigating the case, identified Mahed as a “mastermind” based on confessions and documents obtained from other suspects previously arrested in connection with the case.
Seized Evidence and Background During the primary interrogation, CTTC officials seized several items from the suspect, including a passport, Islamic books, photographs, and a pen drive. One official remarked that the pen drive contained “many things.”
Police also revealed that Mahed was preparing to flee to India at the time of his capture.
Regarding his military background, police officials stated that Mahed failed to return to duty after going on leave in 2023. Consequently, he was dismissed from the army in accordance with the service’s internal rules and regulations.
