The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested six members of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI), including an Afghanistan return 'Jihadist' from different parts of the capital on Friday (27 January).

The arrestees are Fakhrul Islam, 58, Saiful Islam, 24, Suruzzaman, 45, Abdullah Al Mamun, 46, Din Islam, 25 & Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, 46. 

Police have also seized nine mobile phones from their possession, which are believed to have been used in extremist activities.

CTTC chief MD Asaduzzaman in a briefing on Saturday (28 January) told the media that among the arrestees, Fakhrul Islam received arms operation training from remote areas in Afghanistan's Kandahar province and met Osama Bin Laden and Mollah Omar, two top Taliban leaders killed by US special force in Afghanistan.

Fakhrul Islam also learned to operate various firearms including AK-47, LMG, rocket launcher and other heavy weapons during his visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the 1980s.

CTTC chief Asaduzzaman further stated that since the arrest of HuJI leader, Mufti Hanan, the group had been in a state of hibernation and without a leader.

Fakhrul, an Afghan returnee, had been attempting to gather members and collect donations for the group, as well as campaigning to recruit new members.

"In such a vacuum, Fakhrul had been trying to recruit members and collect donations for the outfit," MD Asaduzzaman said in the briefing.