Target Aug 15 Mourners: 3 ‘terror financers’ held

Police claimed to have arrested three members of banned militant outfit “Neo-JMB”, who provided financial assistance for carrying out an attack on the crowd paying homage to Bangabandhu on National Mourning Day at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka.

The arrestees -- Abu Torab Khan, 56, his wife Sadia Hossain Lucy, 46, and his daughter Tajreen Khanam Shuv, 29, hailing from Charigram village in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj district – are accused in the case filed over the incident on August 16, Mohammad Yousuf Ali, additional deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), told The Daily Star.

Torab’s son Akram Hossain Khan Niloy, a top leader of “Neo-JMB” and a master mind of the plot, is one of the prime suspects of the case.

Tipped off, a team of DMP arrested the three alleged “Neo-JMB” members from their Gulshan residence last night, the additional deputy commissioner said.

A suspected suicide bomber, Saiful Isla, of “Neo JMB” was killed during an anti-militancy operation at a city hotel on August 15 as counterterrorism officials claim he had planned to carry out an attack on the crowd paying homage to Bangabandhu on National Mourning Day at Dhanmondi 32.

Niloy encouraged Torab, Lucky and Tajreen to be members of the members of the militant outfit.

The arrestees primarily admitted that they sent money to the masterminds through bKash or even directly, he said.

Police have prayed to the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate for 10-day remand for them, source at the court said.