
Massive hunt launched for Islamic militants
Police and security forces launched a massive manhunt on Friday in western Bangladesh for the leader of an Islamic group blamed for a string of deadly bomb attacks, officials said.
Some 800 personnel from the police, paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles, and Rapid Action Battalion security force swooped down on villages in western Bangladesh in helicopters.
The raids followed tip-offs that the leaders of two outlawed Islamic groups were hiding in villages in Kushtia district, some 200 km from the capital Dhaka, additional police superintendent Abdul Baten told the agency.
"We are searching door to door for Jamayetul Mujahideen chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam, alias Bangla Bhai," Baten said, adding that the operation was ongoing.
The bombings, which have killed at least 28 people since August, were blamed on the extremist group Jamayetul Mujahideen, led by Afghan war veteran Shaikh Abdur Rahman.
Islam runs a sister outfit called Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh, which was blamed for an earlier series of bombings.
Both groups were banned by the government last February.
Police say Jamayetul Mujahideen was behind more than 400 synchronised blasts across Bangladesh on August 17 and a series of subsequent bombings, including several suicide attacks. Four of the 28 dead were suicide bombers.
Leaflets left at blast sites bearing the name of the group called for the imposition of strict Islamic law in the Muslim nation.
The judiciary has been a prime target of the bombers with four lawyers and two judges among the dead.

UP: 17-year-old missing girl’s body found in Aligarh field

Modi govt worked for farmers unlike farm leaders who paid lip service: Nadda
- Nadda claimed that since the BJP was working to carry the country forward, therefore, those with the opportunity to work in the BJP were lucky

‘Is that it? Didn’t even feel it’: PM Modi tells nurse after getting Covid shot

Covid-19 vaccination phase 2 begins. Here’s how to register for jab on Co-Win
- Co-Win's citizen self-registration module will ensure fool-proof identification of deserving candidates for receiving the vaccines, the government has said.

Fuel prices hold steady for 2nd consecutive day after Saturday's record high
- The prices of petrol and diesel in New Delhi on Monday stood at ₹91.17 per litre and ₹81.47 per litre respectively.

Chinese hacker groups target at least dozen Indian organisations

India's single-day Covid-19 cases drop to 15,510, tally over 11.11 million

New curbs, night curfew in Punjab from today as Covid-19 cases continue to surge
- The decision to bring in a slew of new rules to help the state curb the rising number of cases was taken by Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh after a meeting with health experts and senior officers on February 23.

UP launches Covid vaccine drive for elderly: 22.5K to get jab today

News updates from HT: Traffic diverted at Delhi borders due to farmers' protest
- Here are today’s top news, analysis, and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Farm laws protests LIVE: Tikait travels to Uttarakhand
- Protest enters Day 96, stalemate continues between protesting farmers' unions and Centre.

India begins next phase to vaccinate its elderly and ill against Covid-19

Many mobile games violent, addictive...PUBG just one example: Prakash Javadekar

Light snow, rain likely over Western Himalayas till March 4
