Babar claims success in combating militancy

"We've destroyed their network and arrested all the seven top leaders of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)," he told The Daily Star at his office.

Terming the success 'satisfactory', the state minister said the law enforcers have seized 'almost all the explosives' of the banned militant outfits.

The government has also succeeded in blocking the militants' sources of funding, he said without elaborating.

Asked about a crackdown on extremists and outlaws in the south-western region of the country, Babar said operations are already going on there, brushing aside the possibility of a sudden crackdown on them.