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On-Bail Militants on Tabs

Tight security for Buddha Purnima


Published : 17 May 2019 09:20 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 01:39 AM

Amid the likely risk of militant attacks in the country, law enforcers are working relentlessly to identify militants who are untraced after getting bail.
Government high-ups have also instructed the concerned authority to remain on high alert to foil any terror plan in the wake of the series bomb blasts in South Asian country Sri Lanka, which killed 257 people and injured more than 500.

Talking to Bangladesh Post on Friday, Didar Ahmed, DIG of Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) said, “Steps have been taken on the current position of the militants. We are gathering information about all of them.” We are updating our information on the basis of each area on getting information of the bail of the militants from the court, he added.

DIG Didar said, “We are collecting all information about the militants. We are doing what is necessary.” According to the law enforcing agencies, after the deadly Holey Artisan café attack in the city’s posh Gulshan area, more than one thousand militants were held during the anti-militant operation. But among these militants, 400 militants came out of jail on bail. Police have no updated information about many of these militants, thus posing a security risk to the country.

As a result, police headquarters has recently again instructed all operational units to gather updated information on the militants who are currently outside jail. In latest crime conference at the Police Headquarters, Inspector General of Police Dr Mohammad Javed Patwari ordered that all the militants outside jail should be under close surveillance immediately.

He also sent special instructions to all the SPs and DIGs in these regard. Officers of elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and specialized unit Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit opined that no country in the world is now safe from the risk of militancy though the terror networks in the country were successfully destroyed.

According to the statistics of RAB, 584 militants were held by RAB alone after 2016. Of them, 167 have come out of jail. RAB officials claimed that 159 male and eight female militants got bail. Besides the mainstream militants, around 800 members of Hizbut Tahrir are currently out of jail. IGP Mohammad Javed Patwary said, militant activities are under control, but it is not possible to completely eradicate militancy without raising awareness.

He also said it will be possible to resist the tendency of ‘lone wolf’ attacks if people provide information about militants or suspicious activities. IGP Javed Patwary said security measures have been tightened as a precaution for Buddha Purnima, especially in Buddhist-majority areas. He said processions marking Buddha Purnima will be provided special security.