Sylhet: Bangladesh Army called off the ‘Operation Twilight’ at ‘Atia Mahal’ of Shibbari in Sylhet City on Tuesday night, 83 hours after its Para Commandos launched the raid on the militant den on Saturday morning.

The Army’s Military Intelligence Director Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan made the announcement at a press conference at Jalalabad Cantonment at about 8:00pm.

The Army commandos took the situation of ‘Atia Mahal’ under control on Monday, Fakhrul said, adding that they joined the operation following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives. 

He said the entire building had turned risky as the militants planted explosives everywhere.

The Army official, however, said their bomb disposal unit carried out searches at the building throughout the day on Tuesday and defused bombs.

Later, the Army team handed over the charge of ‘Atia Mahal’ to police, Fakhrul said.

Moglabazar Police Station Officer-in-charge Khairul Fazal said they took the charge of the five-storey building along with the bodies of the rest two militants at about 6:00pm.

The bodies of two militants will be sent to Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, he added.

Amid the daylong disposal drive, locals heard the sounds of eight explosions at about 2:00pm.

Besides, police primarily identified two of the four bodies of militants, found at the militant den on Monday, as of Morjina and Kawser Ali.

A source at Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP), requesting anonymity, said two of the militants rented the house introducing themselves as Morjina and Kawser. Morjina also submitted a copy of her national ID card.

However, police are now verifying their identities.

Meanwhile, a four-member medical team, led by Dr Shamsul Alam of Osmani Medical College and Hospital, completed the autopsies on the bodies of the two militants, including the woman, this afternoon.

The bodies of the four militants, including three of men and one of a woman, were found at the militant den on Monday evening. Two of the bodies were handed over to police.

Ten people, including four militants and two police officials, were killed and at least 40 people injured in thee incidents, including a bomb blast near Atia Mahal, during an operation on a suspected militant den.

Police launched a drive at the militant den in the early hours of Friday. The Para Commandos of Bangladesh Army took over the charge of the drive from police on Saturday morning.