Detectives today claimed arrest of six militants of banned Islamist outfit Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji), including its Kushtia region leader, from Dhaka.

They had plots to carry out attacks on cultural programmes in Dhaka, Mahmuda Akhter Lucky, senior assistant commissioner of Detective Branch, told The Daily Star.

Tipped-off plain-clothes policemen arrested them when they were holding a secret meeting at a park in Zindabazar area under Kotwali Police Station last evening, she said.

The arrestees were identified as: Sazzdul Alam Mukti, Kushtia regional commander of Huji, Mesbaur Rahman alias Pradip, Bashar, Ashraf, Aziz alias Babu, and Shafique.

They said to have confessed about plots to attack on various cultural programmes in Dhaka and secular writers and readers during primary quizzing.

Some books that promote religious fanaticism were seized from them, police claimed.