Two JMB members arrested in Dhaka

Two members of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have been reportedly arrested by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from Pallabi area of Dhaka.

The RAB identified the duo as Atiqur Rahman alias Milon, 21, the son of Abul Kashem of Nilphamari and Khademul Islam alias Khadem alias Gajoatul, 28, the son of Ismail Mir of Barisal.

Atikur reportedly used to work as a fund carrier and Khadem was a shelter provider.

The Dhaka Tribune quoted Khandakar Lutful Kabir, Commanding Officer (CO) of RAB 4, as saying in a briefing at RAB's media center in Kawranbazar that Atikur's supervisor Abdur Rahman alias Sarowar Jahan, who was the financier of the new JMB, was killed during a RAB drive in Savar earlier on October 8.

He added that Atikur used to take money from Sarowar and on his direction provide it to different new JMB dens situated in the Tongi and Gazipur areas of Dhaka.

According to their primary statement, Atikur had met Khadem for the first time while distributing money in a slum of Tongi.

Kabir said that Khadem used to provide accommodation for JMB activists and was inspired to take part in militant activities upon noticing the activities of his younger brother Nazmul.

He said Atikur got inspiration to join the JMB from a person named Fazle Rabbi whom he met through social networking site Facebook.

"We are now analyzing information provided by the duo and trying to trace the location of other suspects, whose names were revealed from their statement," said Kabir.