The Anti-Terrorism Unit of police Thursday said they arrested a member of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), who remained fugitive for planning sabotage in Barishal in 2007.
A team of police arrested Md Emdadul Hoque, 45, from Feni's Sonagazi upazila after finding his whereabouts using their own surveillance system.
Mohammad Aslam Khan, superintendent police (media and awareness wing of the ATU), said Emdadul was arrested from the Circuit House area under Feni Sadar upazila in the evening 17 years after he had been implicated in a case filed for subversive activities with Barishal's Kotwali Police Station.
The case is now pending before the court.
Since the filing of the case, the accused remained on the run and went to Saudi Arabia for performing umrah in 2010 and illegally stayed there for four years.
After being forced to return home in 2014, Emdadul remained in hiding.
He had been involved with several anti-state activities, including militancy in the guises of teaching at madrasas and leading daily prayers in mosques, Aslam said.
Efforts are underway to take further legal action against him, he added.