Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in separate drives arrested five alleged members of banned Islamist militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from different places of Rajshahi yesterday.

The arrestees were identified as Khairul Islam, 48, son of late Jahir Uddin of Jahanabad area in Godagari upazila of the district, Selim Reza, 26, son of Golam Mostofa of Hakimpur village, Akbar Ali, 39, son of Saidur Rahman, Nawshad Ali, 50, son of late Siddique of Nerendrapur and Shakil Ahmed, 50, son of Jafar Ali of Gotapara village of Chapainawabganj district.

Based on information from four JMB militants, arrested on May 14, elite force team conducted drives in different areas of the two districts and arrested the five JMB members, said Rab-5 Commander Lt Col Mahabubul Alam.

Necessary legal steps would be taken against them for planning to conduct sabotage activities across the country, Rab said.