16 nabbed in police raids

Detective Police have nabbed a Jamaat-e-Islami leader and four Pakistanis alongwith 11 others during raids at Nikunja and Kathalbagan in the capital.

Dhaka’s Detective Branch (DB)’s Deputy Commission Nazrul Islam told bdnews24.com that eight bombs and fake Indian currency worth 12.5 million were seized from those arrested. ”We started the raids at 2pm Friday and it lasted for 12 hours,” he added.

The Jamaat Rokon (top party leader), Dr Farid and the Pakistanis alongwith the others arrested were described by Nazrul Islam as “part of a gang out to desstablise the country”.

Islam said the four Pakistani nationals were first picked up with the fake Indian currency from Nikunja.

Then police recovered the eight hand-made bombs and the passports while arresting the twelve others including Dr Farid from a residence at Kathal Bagan.

Police suspect the Pakistani nationals were connected to the 12 others arrested from Kathal Bagan.

“We assume that all of them are from the same gang,” DMP Deputy Commissioner Mashiur Rahman said.

Rahman said Dr Farid was an eye specialist.

“We have information that he was trained in terror tactics in Afghanistan,” he added.