RAB arrests 5 top Arsa members, including one accused in 21 cases
The RAB 15 captain said the intelligence information was that Arsa's top terrorists had been hiding in Myanmar for a long time but returned to the Rohingya camp on 19 May
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested five top members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), a militant organisation of Myanmar, from Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar.
The arrestees include Shahidul Islam Prakash Maulvi Oli Akiz, 50, who is accused in more than 21 cases, including the much-discussed murder case of Rohingya leader Master Mohibullah, seven other murders and direct participation in the killing of intelligence agency officials, possessing weapons, and kidnapping.
The other arrested include Md Faisal Prakash Master Faisal, 28, Hafez Faizur Rahman, 24, Md Salam Prakash Master Salam, 20, and Md Zubair, 24.
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The operation was carried out in an abandoned room of Rohingya Camp No. 4 in Ukhiya today (10 June) at midnight, said RAB 15's captain, Lt Colonel HM Sajjad Hossain, at a press conference organised at RAB 15's Cox's Bazar office.
RAB recovered a foreign pistol, a locally made LG, a one-shooter gun, ten rounds of cartridges, two kg of explosives, three mobile phones and Tk2,500 during the arrest.
In the press conference, the RAB 15 captain said the intelligence information was that Arsa's top terrorists had been hiding in Myanmar for a long time but returned to the Rohingya camp on 19 May.
"On Sunday night, Maulvi Akiz along with 8-10 Arsa members held a secret meeting in an abandoned room of Camp No. 4 and an operation was carried out after confirming the information," he added.
Maulvi Oli Akiz crossed the border into Bangladesh in 2017 and started living with his family in camp number 5, said a RAB official quoting Akiz after initial interrogation.
During the interrogation, Maulvi Akiz also admitted to being one of the masterminds behind the brutal killing of Rohingya leader Master Mohibullah who was working for the repatriation of Rohingyas.
Moreover, he directly participated in the seven murders carried out due to ideological conflicts.
There are a total of 21 cases against him in various crimes, including 13 murders, one weapon possession, two kidnappings, two assaults, one robbery and another case under the Explosives Act at Ukhiya police station in Cox's Bazar.
There are multiple cases against the other four arrested.
