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Police say materials for making bombs have been found at a fish farm they suspect was being used as a militant hideout in Netrokona’s Sadar Upazila.
Nearly 150 police personnel, alongside members of a bomb disposal unit from Dhaka, entered the farm around 8:30 am on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
“From what we’ve seen, we believe that militants were involved,” Md Shah Abid Hossain, deputy inspector general of the Mymensingh range, told the reporters waiting outside at 2:15 pm. “We found extremist propaganda, explosives, detonators, and many training materials.”
“We believe they were providing intense training because we found different types of material. I can’t speak in detail yet. Our counter-terrorism unit’s bomb disposal unit is at work. We will tell you everything later.”
In response to a question, he said: “It’s not like you can go in and check things one by one. It’s very dangerous as there are explosives. Those who are working now have to go in full-proof and be protected. Allah forbid, if there is an accident, it will be a serious disaster.”
The police official said, “Usually we work with experts in these cases. That is why our bomb disposal unit is working.”
Asked when the operation could be completed, the DIG said, “It is not yet possible to say how long it may take. But it may take all day today.”
Netrokona Additional Superintendent of Police Harunur Rashid said that 150 members of the police, including the bomb disposal unit and anti-terrorism unit, arrived from Dhaka at 8:30 am.
Law enforcers started the operation at the fish farm in Bhashapara village at 1 pm on Saturday.
Police had previously planned a raid there on Friday.
A pistol, 17 bullets and a walkie-talkie were recovered from the scene, but no one was found. It is believed that the residents had already fled.
Bhashapara village is about seven kilometres away from the Netrokona district town.
The connectivity in the area is good, but the fish farm is located in a quiet area on one side of the village. On one side is a Haor.
As the operation was ongoing, law enforcers also surrounded a four-storey building in Netrokona town near the Madan Bus Stand at 10 pm on Saturday, suspecting it to be a terrorist hideout.
Around midnight, District Police Superintendent Faiz Ahmed told reporters that at around 9 pm, law enforcers broke down the door of Saiful Islam, 45, a tenant on the third floor. But no one was found inside the flat.