In a dramatic joint operation conducted in the Sarulia area of Demra in the capital, two highly dangerous live hand bombs were recovered. According to law enforcement agencies, Jewel Bhuiyan alias 'Ostad', a fugitive militant member who escaped from the Narsingdi District Jail, was arrested with these bombs. Police stated that Jewel is a close associate of Najmul Hasan Mamun alias 'Bomaru Mamun', the top explosives expert of the banned militant organization 'Neo-JMB'. Officials from the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit believe that this arrest has foiled a major plan to carry out sabotage attacks in various parts of the country, including the capital.

1. Friendship in Prison and the Background of an Unprecedented Jailbreak

Jewel Bhuiyan, a resident of Kajirchar in Shibpur, Narsingdi, was arrested in 2023 by the Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU), a specialized police unit, on suspicion of involvement with the banned organization 'Hizb ut-Tahrir'.

Subsequently, on July 19, 2024, amid extreme political unrest across the country centered around the quota reform movement, an unprecedented attack, arson, and vandalism took place at Narsingdi Jail. Armed miscreants broke the locks of prison cells, allowing a total of 826 inmates—including 9 listed dangerous militants—to escape. At that time, 85 firearms and 8,150 rounds of live ammunition were looted from the prison armory and duty guards. Just six days after escaping from prison, on July 25, the district police re-arrested Jewel and sent him to Kashimpur High Security Central Jail.

However, a new chapter in Jewel's militant life began at Kashimpur Jail. There, he developed a deep friendship with Neo-JMB's primary bomb maker, 'Bomaru Mamun'. Following the political transition on August 5, both Mamun and Jewel took advantage of legal loopholes to get released on bail in September. They reunited in secret and began reorganizing their sabotage network.

2. Evidence and Information on Recent Sabotage Activities

Police and intelligence reports reveal that this group has direct involvement in a series of recent bomb scares and sabotage incidents across various parts of the country:

• Keraniganj Explosion (December 2025): An accidental explosion occurred while secretly making bombs at a madrasa in Keraniganj, Dhaka.

• Attack in Jatrabari (February 2026): During a routine search in the capital's Jatrabari area, members of this group stabbed a police officer and fled, leaving behind a bag full of bombs.

• Attacks on Religious Places of Worship (March 2026): The names of Bomaru Mamun and his disciples emerged behind bomb explosions at a Shiva temple in Cumilla and at a checkpoint in the capital's Sayedabad.

• Bomb Scares in Crowded Places (July 2026): Mamun was also involved in leaving a 'pipe bomb' inside an umbrella under the Motijheel Metro Rail Station and a 'pressure cooker' bomb at a tea stall in Charabag, Ashulia, on the day of the Hindu community's 'Ulto Rath Yatra'.

3. Joint Operation in Demra and Bomb Disposal

While investigating a case involving an attack on police and sabotage at Jatrabari's Janapad Intersection, the CTTC received information that Mamun's associate Jewel was hiding in Paschim Nijhumbagh in the Sarulia area of Demra.

On Sunday afternoon, police and the Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU) conducted a joint raid on that house in Nijhumbagh and arrested Jewel Bhuiyan. Two live hand bombs were recovered from his possession. Upon receiving the news around 8:30 PM, the CTTC's Bomb Disposal Unit arrived at the scene, proceeded with caution, and successfully neutralized the two bombs by 11:00 PM.

4. Alignment of Militant Networks and Security Risks

The current activities of Neo-JMB and other extremist groups have become a major concern for law enforcement agencies. Recently, Mamun's chief associate, Arif alias Imran, was caught during a raid in Shyampur, Savar. Although a massive stockpile of explosives was recovered based on his information, the mastermind 'Bomaru Mamun' remains at large.

Senior law enforcement officials stated that these trained criminals are regrouping after securing acquittals or bail by exploiting the volatile political environment and interim judicial processes. They are conducting underground activities by misleading youth and using code names (such as Jewel's alias 'Ostad'). The police are currently compiling a detailed list of cases pending against the arrested Jewel across various police stations in the country and are continuing block raids to capture the fugitive Bomaru Mamun.

Author: Dr. Abul Hasnat Milton, Journalist, Political Analyst, and Editor-in-Chief, The Source News Bangla