Three militants of banned Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were arrested today along with sophisticated weapons, ammunition and army uniforms, during a raid at a hideout in the country's eastern port city of Chittagong.
The raid, on an apartment in a two-storey building at Hathajari, lasted nearly six hours, said police's Additional Deputy Commissioner Babul Akter.
The arrests come just days after a 15-hour crackdown on a JMB hideout in Dhaka's Mirpur area where six were held with explosive vests and improvised grenades.
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An MK 11 sniper rifle, ammunition, explosive gel, detonators, pieces of army uniform, and bomb-making materials were found in the apartment, Akter was quoted as saying by the bdnews24 online.
JMB's regional chief 'Fardin' had rented the apartment, he added.
"The US-made sniper rifle is a highly sophisticated weapon. This is the first time anything like this has been seized in Chittagong," said Detective Branch Sub Inspector Santosh Chakma, a member of the raiding team.
Bangladesh has seen several violent incidents in recent months, including attacks on foreigners and secular bloggers claimed by the IS, although the government says the attacks have been carried out by local Islamist radical groups.
A minority Ahmadi community mosque was attacked on Christmas in Bagmara town, some 250 kilometres from Dhaka, in which 10 people were wounded.
Last week, six people were injured when two Molotov cocktails exploded at a mosque inside a major naval base in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong after Friday prayers.
IS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
