8 militants among 121 held across country

Law enforcers arrested at least eight suspected members of different militant groups in separate drives from five districts in the last 24 hours. Over 110 others including listed criminals were also arrested or detained during the operations for their alleged involvement in crimes. Our Sirajganj correspondent Aminul Islam Rana said that a fugitive leader of JMB, Abul Kalam Azad, 58, was detained from Ullapara area on Tuesday night. Sirajganj DB police OC Wheduzzaman said Azad, also a teacher in a local high school, is the militant outfit's district unit secretary and had been on the run for days. In Jamalpur, police arrested two known members of the Old JMB from Jagabandhu Eidgah of the town around 2am on Tuesday. The duo are Abdul Majed, 45, and Abdur Rahman, 30, reports our correspondent Bishwajit Deb. Jamalpur Kotwali police OC Md Nasimul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that they had been in the middle of a clandestine meeting organised to carry out subversive activities. The OC said that both the arrestees had been accused in cases filed in October 2009 under the Explosives Act. In Pabna, police arrested Old JMB’s regional commander Mostafizur Rahman Shahin, 41, from the town’s court area during a raid early on Tuesday, our correspondent Md Emroz Khandaker reports. Sadar OC Abdur Razzak said that Mostafizur was also an accused in a 2005 series bomb blast case. Members of banned outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) blasted bombs in 63 districts on August 17 that year and distributed leaflets “to invite people to establish Islamic rule in the country.” On Monday, police arrested two listed militants – Ziaul Karim Sujon and Shafiqul Islam, leaders of extremist outfit Allah’r Dal from Radhanagar area of Pabna town. Meanwhile, Tangail police arrested Old JMB member Amanullah Liton, 40, from the town late Monday night. He has two cases filed in 2005, reports our correspondent Mohammed Afzal Hossain. Baghmara police in Rajshahi arrested a listed Old JMB member, Abdul Quddus, 44, from Shantopara of Jugipara in the upazila, reports our correspondent Abdullah Al Dulal. Baghmara OC Nasim Ahmed said that Quddus had joined the banned outfit in 2004.