Three individuals have been detained during a joint operation by security forces at a coaching center in Kadirganj, Rajshahi, where weapons, ammunition, and bomb-making equipment were recovered.
Divers have also entered a nearby pond as part of the search for additional arms. As of 3:00 pm on Saturday, two divers were still conducting the operation.
The raid targeted the “Doctor English” coaching center in Kadirganj. Security forces cordoned off the area from 9:30 am, and a statement issued by the Rajshahi Cantonment Commander said the operation was carried out by a team from the 40 East Bengal (Mechanized) following a month-long intelligence monitoring. The operation began early Friday at around 1:30 am.
The owner of the coaching center, Montasabul Alam Anindya, was among those detained. Two others, Md. Robin and Md. Faisal, were also taken into custody. Montasabul Alam is the son of former Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP Vice-President Shafiul Alam Lattu and related to former Rajshahi City Mayor A H M Khairuzzaman Liton. Montasabul was previously detained as a suspect in the murder case of Rajshahi University English department teacher Rezaul Karim but was later cleared of all charges.
According to the official statement, the items recovered during the raid include three firearms with ammunition, military-grade binoculars and sniper scopes, six locally made weapons, seven foreign-made daggers, five high-quality walkie-talkie sets, a military-grade GPS device, a taser gun, various local and imported cartridges, a large number of unused SIM cards, bomb-making materials, six computer sets, BDT 7,445 in cash, local and imported alcoholic beverages, and 11 nitrogen cartridges. All items were found in usable condition and later rendered safe by the Bomb Disposal Unit.
During the operation, Md. Robin’s mother, Nasrin Begum, appeared at the scene and broke down in tears, claiming her son was unaware of any wrongdoing. She said Robin had been working at the site for cleaning and household chores for the past month.
