Swift action on the Kalyanpur “terrorist den” saved the country from a major catastrophe, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday.

“Nine terrorists were killed, one was detained and another managed to escape,” she told the inaugural session of the four-day annual conference of deputy commissioners at her office.

It was understood that the militants were preparing acts of sabotage, the PM said.

“Several terrorists made preparation for carrying out an attack, and according to a report by our detectives, law enforcers took swift measures.”

The police force conducted the operation very successfully as they were well prepared, Hasina added.

The nine alleged militants were killed early yesterday during a special drive by the joint forces in Kalyanpur, ending an overnight standoff that ensued with a raid on the “militant den”.

The SWAT, Rapid Action Battalion, Detective Branch of police and Dhaka Metropolitan Police jointly carried out the one-hour operation “Storm 26” from 5:51am.