The first question of Rab (Rapid Action Battalion) interrogators to detained militant kingpin Abdur Rahman was on the whereabouts of another top militant Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai.

"We started interrogating Rahman in the car in which he was

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brought to Dhaka, soon after a court placed him on remand. And you know, certainly whereabouts of Bangla Bhai was the first question," Director General (DG) of Rab MA Aziz Sarker said.

When contacted over phone yesterday afternoon, he also said acting on information from Rahman, Rab personnel have seized a huge quantity of explosives from Hatilbagh of Shibganj in Sylhet. Rab was also raiding some areas in Habiganj.

Aziz however declined to say what Rahman told them about Bangla Bhai.

Asked whether Bangla Bhai is in the country, he refused to make any comment.

But sources in intelligence agencies said Bangla Bhai and Rahman were staying together even two months ago.

“We don't believe any of the remaining three members of JMB Majlish-e-Shura including Bangla Bhai, who are yet to be arrested, are absconding in India, as assumed by some investigators earlier,” said a top law enforcement official. “They are all in Bangladesh and we believe, if we continue our determined efforts, they will certainly be captured.”

Bangla Bhai, operations commander of the banned Islamist outfit Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), and two other members of Majlish-e- Shura are the next target of the elite force, he said.

"We are hunting for Bangla Bhai and other militants and the hunt will continue until they are arrested," the Rab DG said. He however said he is not sure how long it will take to trap

Bangla Bhai.

The self- styled JMJB operations commander had led a Sarbahara (outlaw) cleansing operation in the northern districts from April 1, 2004. During the operation, he allegedly killed 12 people while 12 others could not traced after his men picked them up from their houses. Locals believe they were also killed.

Bangla Bhai was allegedly sheltered by several ruling BNP lawmakers, and carried out operations under the direct backing of the local police administration.

The media carried series of reports on the activities of JMJB and Bangla Bhai at that time. But the government initially said there is no existence of Bangla Bhai. It even blamed the media for "creating" a "fictitious" Bangla Bhai.

Eating its own words, the government on February 23 last year banned the JMJB and JMB, accusing Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai of carrying out bomb attacks and killings to create anarchy in the country.

The government on September 18 announced Tk 50 lakh bounty each for the arrest of Rahman and Bangla Bhai.

Asked who will now get the bounty for the arrest of Rahman, the Rab DG said his arrest is part of the law enforcers' commitment to the nation. “We are not driven by the prize money, we work for the nation. It is the interest of the nation that inspires us, and not money."