Four suspected members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) have been arrested in Dhaka with explosives, firearms and other equipment, according to the Detective Branch of police.
A DB team from the Ramna Division carried out a series of raids from Monday night to Tuesday afternoon, leading to the arrests.
The detainees are Imran Chowdhury, 29, Mostakim Chowdhury, 25, Ripon Hossain Sheikh, 28, and Abu Bakkar, 25.
ARSA chief Ataullah Jununi was arrested in Mymensingh in March last year and has remained in prison since.
Briefing reporters on Wednesday, DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said two firearms, two toy guns, machetes, more than 1.5kg of explosives, jackets, jihadist books, and other materials were recovered from the four suspects.
Asked whether extremist groups were regrouping, he said: "I would not say they are resurfacing. I would only say that action will be taken against anyone involved in such activities. Action was taken in the past, and it will be taken again against anyone who becomes involved in future."
Responding to questions over transparency in such operations, amid past allegations of staged anti-militancy drives, Shafiqul said: "It is not police's job to stage dramas after arresting suspects. Our duty is to bring criminals under the law. We remain vigilant and carry out our work professionally."
According to DB, Imran was first arrested late on Monday night from a house in the Koilaghat near Tara Mosque in Kamrangirchar.
Mostakim was then detained early on Tuesday in Keraniganj's Jianagar.
Later that day, Ripon and Abu Bakkar were arrested in the Rasulpur bridge area in Kamrangirchar.
On Mar 16 and 17 last year, law enforcers arrested Ataullah and nine others in separate operations in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, and the Notun Bazar area of Mymensingh City.
ARSA is an armed Rohingya insurgent group that has operated for years.
It has repeatedly been accused of asserting control in Rohingya refugee camps, as well as involvement in drug trafficking and violence.
Reports from Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine State suggest that ARSA and another group, the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) are currently fighting the Arakan Army.
The Arakan Army, which has battled Myanmar's military for years, is said to have captured 14 of Rakhine's 17 administrative areas.
ARSA and RSO have also been accused of fighting on behalf of Myanmar's junta against the Arakan Army.
