Md Anisur Rahman, the chief of the Islamist outfit Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, and two other militants have been arrested by the Rapid Action Batallion in Munshiganj's Lauhaganj Upazila.

The authorities also seized a cache of firearms, explosives, booklets on militancy, and cash during a raid in the early hours of Monday.

Further details about the arrests will be provided later in a press briefing, the RAB said.

Law enforcers found the militants in a house in Louhajang’s Bornoupara village.

Anowara Begum, the owner of the house, said a man named Hasan rented two rooms on the ground floor of her property three days ago.

Three men, initially claiming to be relatives, began living there and said the women of the family would join them later.

The rent was fixed at Tk 5,000, along with Tk 1,000 as the electricity bill. The tenants said they would provide copies of their national ID cards after two days. Anowara, a widow, looks after the house as her sons live separately.

The RAB raided the house at 3 am on Monday and arrested all three men, but left the rooms untouched afterwards, she said.

Anisur, 32, a native of Cumilla Sadar South Upazila’s Harkal village, started working in a CNG refuelling station after completing his study in a local madrasa.

He went into hiding after selling some of the properties he inherited in 2021. The RAB said Anisur gave the funds to the organisation. He would also produce video speeches to raise money for the newly formed militant group and recruit members.