23 Detained from Tejgaon College Mosque over Suspected Militant Links

Police have detained 23 people on suspicion of links to militant activities during what authorities described as a secret meeting at the Tejgaon College Jame Mosque in Dhaka’s Farmgate area.

A senior official of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Tejgaon Division confirmed the detention at around 4:15pm on Friday (September 18).

Police said the operation was conducted based on intelligence information. According to multiple reports, a meeting involving around 25 to 30 people was underway on the second floor of the mosque. Police detained 23 of them during the operation. The meeting reportedly took place after Friday prayers.

Authorities are now verifying the identities of those detained, the purpose of the meeting and whether they have any links to militant or extremist activities. Reports also indicate that specialised law-enforcement units are involved in the verification process.

Police have not officially disclosed the name of any organisation allegedly linked to the detainees or provided details of what was discussed at the meeting. One intelligence source, cited by a local media outlet, claimed that some of those detained were associated with an organisation called ‘Ittihadul Ummah’. However, this claim has not been officially confirmed by police.

Police said legal action will be taken after the verification process is completed.

Ashik/M.