Youth Arrested in Dhaka Following Seizure of Improvised Explosives

A joint counter-terrorism operation in the capital’s Demra area led to the arrest of a 26-year-old man after law enforcement officers recovered two objects resembling improvised explosive devices. The raid, conducted by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit alongside Anti-Terrorism Officers (ATO), also resulted in the detention of a second youth for questioning as investigators work to determine the scope of the potential security threat.

The operation unfolded at approximately 5:30 pm on Sunday, 16 August, near the Gariber Newaz Mosque road intersection in the Paschim Boxnagar Nijhumbag neighborhood of Demra. Acting on precise intelligence regarding suspicious movement in the locality, a specialised combined team established a perimeter and intercepted the primary suspect, identified as Jewel Bhuiyan, a native of Kajirchar village in Narsingdi’s Shibpur sub-district.

During a search at the scene, officers discovered two cylindrical items measuring roughly six inches in length, wrapped tightly in black adhesive tape. The physical characteristics of the objects raised immediate alarms of potential explosive material. Alongside Bhuiyan’s arrest, security personnel detained 24-year-old Arif Chowdhury, a resident of the Nijhumbag area, to ascertain his involvement, if any, in the storage or movement of the items.

Following the initial interception, additional personnel and senior officers from Demra Police Station arrived to reinforce the location and secure the surrounding perimeter. The seized items were taken into custody alongside the two suspects for forensic examination and detailed interrogation. Local authorities confirmed that formal legal proceedings under relevant national security and explosives acts are currently underway against those involved.

Security remains heightened around the Paschim Boxnagar sector as police expand their preliminary inquiries to uncover the origin and intended purpose of the recovered objects. Operational commanders emphasized that public safety in the neighborhood was restored swiftly, with regular law enforcement patrols maintaining complete control over the area.