Sylhet, Mar 25 – oint forces started
their operation at a ‘den of militants’ at Shibbari in Dakkhin Surma upazila on Saturday morning.
Additional Deputy Police Commissioner (Media) Jedan Al Musa said the law enforcers had asked the militants to surrender before the operation but they did not respond to the call.
Later, they started the operation, ‘Spring Rain’, at the ‘den’ around 8.30am, Jedan Al Musa added.
On Friday night, army commandos joined the joint forces to raid the house after police cordoned it off in the early hours of Friday.
A team of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit arrived at the spot around 4pm on Friday from Dhaka. Another team of Para-Commando Battalion of Bangladesh Army also went to the spot around 8pm on Friday to join the drive.
Later, the joint forces comprising district police, and members of SWAT, including a five-member bomb disposal unit, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the Army commandos started the preparations to enter the five-storey building named ‘Atia Mahal’.
Besides, police, members of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Detective Branch (DB) of police, City Special Branch (SB), Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and other law enforcement are also there.
Police suspected that the militants might have taken their position in a room on the east side of a flat on the ground floor of the building.
Meanwhile, police evacuated 70 people from a building adjacent to the ‘Atia Mahal’.
However, over 50 residents of the building, including women and children, remained trapped inside.
Police cordoned off the suspected militant den in the early hours of Friday asked the suspected militants to surrender. However, they did not surrender.
A team of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit arrived at the spot around 4pm from Dhaka. A team of Para-Commando Battalion of Bangladesh Army also went to the spot around 8pm to take part in the drive.
Later, the joint forces comprising district police, and members of SWAT, including a five-member bomb disposal unit, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the Army commandos started the preparations to enter the five-storey building named ‘Atia Mahal’.
After visiting the spot, Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Commissioner Golam Kibria told reporters that the army men were called in to ensure that the militants cannot run away from the house. “We want their overall help in the drive.”
Besides, police, members of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Detective Branch (DB) of police, City Special Branch (SB), Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and other law enforcement also went to the spot.
Police suspected that the militants might have taken their position in a room on the east side of a flat on the ground floor of the building.
Talking to reporters, additional police commissioner (media) of the SMP Jedan Al Musa said, “We’ll start the drive anytime of the night. All kinds of preparations have already been completed.”
Meanwhile, police evacuated 70 people from a building adjacent to the ‘Atia Mahal’.
However, over 50 residents of the building, including women and children, remained trapped inside.
Meanwhile, ‘the militants’ talked to police from the house several times from 1 pm to 1:45 pm.
In response to the police request for surrender, a male militant said around 1pm, “Send in force.”
“We’re on the path of Allah. Send SWAT team as early as possible. Why are you killing time?…we don’t have enough time,” said a female voice from the building around 2 pm.
Tipped off, a team of police raided the area and surrounded the five-storey building named ‘Atia Mahal’ owned by one Ustar Ali around 4:30 am, said Harun-ur-Rashid, officer-in-charge of Dakkhin Surma Police Station.
However, residents of the adjacent houses were evacuated while the shops located in the area were kept closed following the drive, said the OC.
The house owner said a man named Kawsar Ali identifying himself as an officer of private company Pran rented the house in January and his wife’s name is Marjina.
Earlier, on March 16, four suspected militants, including a female one, and a six-year-old boy were killed during a special raid by joint forces on a militant hideout at Premtala in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong. – UNB
