-    Criminals hurled several bombs on the law-enforcers triggering the ‘gunfight’

-    Operational commander of July 1 Gulshan café attack, Marzan, killed

-    Saddam Hossain, an accused neo JMB member, killed

-    Police recovered a pistol and three rounds of bullet from the spot

Neo JMB leader Nurul Islam Marzan, the operational commander of July 1 Gulshan café attack, and his aide were reportedly killed in a shootout with police in Dhaka early today.

The incident took place at Beribadh area of Mohammadpur around 3:00am. Monirul Islam, chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC)unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed the incident to The Daily Star.

“One is identified as Marzan and another is Saddam Hossain, an accused neo JMB member,” Monirul said in a text message.

Saddam Hossain. Photo: Collected

Saddam was wanted for at least ten murder cases, including Japanese national Kunio Hoshi murder, Jogeshwar Das Adhikari murder and attempt to murder a Bahai community leader in Rangpur, Monirul said.

READ ALSO: Marzan ‘identified’ by a Pabna family

Acting on secret information, Mohammadpur police set up a temporary check post in front of the graveyard on Babubazar-Gubtali road, said Mohibul Islam, deputy commissioner of CTTC.

ALSO READ: Marzan missing for 8 months

When the duty police challenged a motorbike carrying two people, the criminals hurled several bombs on the law-enforcers while trying to escape prompting a retaliation that triggered a “gunfight” between them.

At one stage, the duo was caught in the line of fire. Police recovered the bodies and sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy, Mohibul said.

Mohammadpur police sent two bodies to Dhaka Medical College for autopsy, said Bachchu Mia, sub-inspector of DMCH police outpost.

Police also recovered a pistol, three rounds of bullets, a knife and a motorbike from the spot.

Marzan was on a police wanted list for his role in the attack on a Dhaka cafe last July.

MARZAN'S BACKGROUND

Nurul Islam Marzan passed Dakhil (equivalent to SSC) from Darul Ulum Markazia Madrasa in 2010 and Alim (equivalent to HSC) from Arifpur Fazil Madrasa in Pabna in 2012.

He was a student of Darul Hadis Qawmi Madrasa at Banshbazar in Pabna town. But he sat for Dakhil and Alim exams from the Alia madrasas as the Qawmi madrasa is not a government-affiliated educational institution, according to Madrasa sources.

Nurul Islam had close ties with Mushfiqur Rahman, a suspended teacher of Darul Hadis Qawmi Madrasa and follower of Asadullah Al Galib.

Galib is the ameer of Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh, many of whose members have alleged links with banned militant outfit JMB.

“Mushfiqur was a follower of Galib. For this reason, he was suspended from the madrasa in September 2013. We don't know where he is now,” said Abdur Rahman, superintendent of Darul Hadis Qawmi Madrasa.

Contacted, Motiur Rahman, superintendent of Arifpur Fazil Madrasa, confirmed that Nurul Islam was a student at his institution. He, however, said Nurul took the Alim exams from his institution as an “irregular student”.

“Actually, he was a Qawmi Madrasa student. But he got his registration through my institution and then appeared in the Alim examinations,” Motiur said.

Jahid Hasan, superintendent of Darul Ulum Markazia Madrasa, said that while a student at Qawmi madrasa, Nurul took Dakhil exams from his institution in 2010 and got GPA-5.