Dhaka, Aug 29 (IANS) As Bangladesh confronts resurgence of terror outfits, Neo-JMB – an Islamic State-inspired offshoot of the banned Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh – has re-emerged in the South Asian nation amid a string of recent bomb recoveries, including multiple pressure-cooker devices, by the law enforcement agencies.
The police operation has resulted in the arrests of suspected operatives — among them a former army soldier as well as a 16-year-old — and alleged plans to unleash sabotage in and around Dhaka, a report has stated.
Citing partial data compiled by the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management (ICM), the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) revealed that at least five people have been arrested for alleged links to Neo-JMB this year.
According to the SATP report, Neo-JMB operative Mohammad Arif was arrested in the Savar area of Dhaka on August 11. The following day, a pressure-cooker bomb wrapped in black tape was recovered from an open field beside a mosque in Savar.
“Arif’s arrest from Hemayetpur in Savar, in possession of several arms and ammunition, including five GI-pipe bombs, three knife-like bombs and bomb-making materials, is significant. During interrogation, investigators discovered that the bombs used tri-acetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly sensitive explosive that can detonate through heat, friction, impact or movement. Arif reportedly told investigators that the group used the Protected Text or PT website for communication and the Element app for financial transactions,” the report detailed.
The report cited an unnamed Bangladesh Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) source, stating that Arif and other suspects linked to recent incidents exhibited common movement patterns. They often carried backpacks containing bombs, weapons, knives, and machetes and attacked security personnel when searched before fleeing the area.
Neo-JMB operatives across Bangladesh reflect a disturbing demographic mix, ranging from former Army personnel and young recruits to minors who are getting easily radicalised by the group’s ideology, the report mentioned.
“In one case, on April 2, 2026, a 16-year-old boy from Habiganj Sadar Upazila was arrested. The boy (identity withheld) had been in regular contact with two dismissed Army personnel. The CTTC unit, after seizing his phone, discovered evidence of his ties with Neo-JMB and his presence at the clandestine meeting at Zia Udyan. Court documents described the boy as ‘an IS-ideology follower/Neo-JMB member’,” it highlighted.
Warning that recent incidents and developments across Bangladesh cannot be ignored, the report said sustained prevention and counter-radicalisation efforts will be crucial to prevent the terrorist network from emerging as a major renewed threat.
“This is particularly urgent in light of a July 1, 2026, report, which revealed that at least 311 operatives of various banned militant organisations remained absconding, including 16 Neo-JMB cadres, 185 JMB cadres, 83 cadres of Ansar Al Islam, 16 cadres of HuJI-B, nine cadres of Allahar Dal, one cadre of Jama’atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAFHS), and one cadre of Imam Mahmuder Kafela, according to the Police’s specialised Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU),” it noted.
The convergence of terrorist networks coupled with an alarming demography of extremists and terrorists, the report said, adds multiple layers to the deepening threat confronting Bangladesh.
–IANS
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