Dhaka: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday said law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the two ‘militant dens’ in Moulvibazar following intelligence information.

While talking to reporters at the Secretariat, he also said the militants were hurling bombs at the law enforcers from the dens.

“A Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team is on their way to Moulvibazar. They’ll decide how drives will be conducted on the militant hideouts,” he said.

According to primary information, there might be 3-4 militants in the Barhat den while 4-5 militants, including female ones, at the Fatehpur hideout, Asaduzzaman said.

Replying to a query about Army deployment, he said, “Army will be called in if necessary.”

Responding to another query, the Home boss said, “We’ll certainly be able to combat militancy as the number of militants is very insignificant and as the people are with us.”

Nearly eight hours after Bangladesh Army officially called off its operation at 'Atia Mahal' in Dakkhin Surma upazila of Sylhet on Tuesday night, police cordoned off two houses at Barhat in municipality area and Fatehpur village in Sadar upazila early Wednesday, suspecting those to be militant hideouts.

Tipped off, police encircled the houses around 2:30am, said officer-in-charge of Moulvibazar Model Police Station Abdus Salek.