The elite anti-crime forces faced another such resistance in Comilla yesterday when they went to arrest JMB explosives expert Shakil alias Mollah Omar.

During a shootout in Khetlal, Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) looted three rifles and 60 bullets from police as they raided a militant den at Maheshpur Solokdubi village.

Police after the battle arrested 19 JMB men including three Majlish-e-Shura members -- Abdul Awal, Ataur Rahman Sunny and Hafez Mahmud -- who were later released for reasons still unknown.

JMB chief Abdur Rahman also took part in the clash and evaded arrest during the shootout.

Police faced a similar attack while raiding a den in Mirapara in Natore on September 17 last year before recovering a huge cache of explosives and bomb-making materials.

The militants attacked the police team and left three of them injured before fleeing the dragnet.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on December 18 last year came under bomb attacks during a raid on a JMB den on RK Mission Road in Mymensingh.

The militants hurled around 25 bombs at the Rab personnel and fled the scene. The Rab recovered a big cache of explosives, grenades, bombs and bomb-making materials from the den.

In yesterday's encounter three people including two children were blown up and two elite anti-crime forces members were injured.