The elite anti-crime force also arrested six militants of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), who possessed the bomb-making materials.

The recovered items include 31 packs (500gram each) of power gel, one detonator, 80 iron-made shells of improvised grenades and a book on jihad.

The arrestees are Moazzem Miah, 21, from Tekpara Barabari under Araihazar upazila, Abdul Al Naim, 24, and Taiyabur Rahman, 20, both from Hirilal Majhipara under Rupganj upazila, Mofijul Islam, 20, and Masum Billah, 24, both from Konabari under Sonargaon upazila, and Mohammad Mahbub, 22, from Farazi Kanda under Bandar upazila.

Rab said the clue to yesterday's drive came after the arrest of Abdul Rahman Alal alias Fahad and Saiful Islam alias Russell, whom police nabbed with huge amount of arms, ammunition and detonators from a bus at Ramna Bypass in Tangail on December 29.

Following their information, a team from Rab Intelligence Wing and Rab-11 in the early hours yesterday conducted several raids in the district and made the recovery after arresting the six.

Earlier on December 30, Rab recovered bomb-making materials from Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj following information from Fahad.

The Rab yesterday made an exhibition of the recovered goods at its headquarters at 4:00pm and briefed the press about their raids.

The grenades could have been highly powerful if the explosives were set inside the cases, said Rab bomb experts.

Asked about the recent activities of JMB, Rab said they are still conducting raids across the country to hunt down the militants and recover materials from them.

"We are yet to quiz the nabbed ones," Commander Mashuk, director of Intelligence and Legal Wing, said after reading out a press release.

Replying to another query, Rab Deputy Director General Mahbub Alam Mollah said they are yet to find out the source of funds of the banned militant outfit.