Panthapath militant hideout raided
We would like to congratulate our law enforcement agencies on a job well done. Yesterday's raid on a militant hideout in Panthapath is yet another reminder of the lurking threat of militancy in the country as well as the critical role of good intelligence in tackling it. Operation August Bite successfully foiled a planned attack on people going to Dhanmondi Road No. 32 to pay homage to Bangabandhu on National Mourning Day. The militant—Saiful Islam—was found with a suicide vest on him, a backpack and IED explosives. He died when his suicide vest exploded.
The raid was a success partly due to heightened surveillance and security measures, and it goes to show that constant vigilance is essential for a good counterterrorism strategy. We have learnt—especially in the last one year—that counterterrorism efforts need to be both constant and active. And we simply cannot afford to let our guard down at a time when militants—blinded by a destructive ideology—are becoming more and more sophisticated in their planning, and increasingly determined to carry out their attacks.
The Panthapath raid is amongst a string of successful raids on militant dens in the recent past. However, we must not become complacent. Coordination between law enforcement agencies—that are at the front lines of countering the threat of terrorism—is of utmost importance. We would also like to add that terrorism cannot be combated without good intelligence and for this multilateral intelligence collaboration—particularly with our neighbouring countries—is needed.
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