Dhaka, July 3 (Inditop.com) Abdur Rahim alias Shahadat who played a key role in strengthening the banned Islamist militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in bordering districts of India’s West Bengal state has been arrested, the police said.

He operated for two-and-a-half-years in Murshidabad, Nadia and Malda districts of West Bengal on the instructions of JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman and his deputy, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai.

Rahman and Bangla Bhai, who operated in Bangladesh’s Rajshahi district, were executed in 2007 following their conviction for killing two judges.

Police nabbed Shahadat Wednesday who on return from India had emerged as the chief organiser of “Islam and Muslim”, a new offshoot of the JMB that is banned in Bangladesh.

The intelligence officials along with the police also arrested Sajedur Rahman alias Hanif, a regional commander of the new organisation that has plans to ‘dominate’ a large area on Bangladesh’w western flank bordering India, covering Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Naogaon.

The intelligence officials also seized arms and ammunition and some books on Jihad during their drive.