Banned militant group member arrested while trying to flee to India

Police have arrested a member of the banned militant organisation 'Maktabah Al Himma Ad Da'awatul Islamiah' from the Barlekha border area in Moulvibazar. The arrested individual has been identified as Rahed Hossain Mahed, 23, a resident of Doshghar village in Biswanath upazila, Sylhet.

Police said he was detained during a special operation on Thursday afternoon, May 14, from a hill in the remote Boberthol Shitghori area of Barlekha upazila. The matter was confirmed in a press release from the Moulvibazar Superintendent of Police's office on Friday morning, May 15.

Police sources said an intelligence alert was issued from Police Headquarters on April 23 following concerns of potential militant attacks on key installations, including the National Parliament and security forces. Acting on secret information that Rahed, a dismissed army personnel and member of the banned outfit, was attempting to cross the border into India, a team led by Barlekha Police Station OC Moniruzzaman Khan conducted a covert operation and arrested him.

Police further said Rahed is an accused in a case under investigation by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. Following a request from the CTTC, he was handed over to them for further legal action around 11:30 pm on Thursday.

Preliminary interrogation revealed important information regarding his involvement with the militant organisation. He had been in hiding since the red alert was issued and had recently been attempting to illegally enter India, police said.