Counterterrorism efforts
Arrest of a returnee from Syria with suspected links to the IS gives us a clear message that we are never out of the crosshairs of the extremists. In these very columns we had cautioned against a misplaced euphoria that the extremists have been neutered and their capabilities to launch serious attacks have been blunted. The church attacks in Sri Lanka should raise our hackles about the fact that the IS's capabilities to create trouble are all but gone.
In fact, the loss of ground in Iraq and Syria have deprived the IS of a terra firma. An option for them is to relocate to other countries, particularly in the home countries of those that have joined the ranks of the IS. Bangladesh cannot be ruled out as a prospective safe haven for such elements, as the arrest of Abdul Majid suggests. The rise of HUJI (B) and JMJB are the consequences of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. We had failed to recognise the warnings in the early nineties, thus giving these extremists space and time to establish themselves.
What is of concern in this case is the way Abdul Majid entered Bangladesh. He was not apprehended from any port of entry but from a house in Uttara. And he lost no time in establishing contacts with like-minded people.
It goes without saying that our surveillance of the porous borders must be reinforced, and for this cross-border cooperation among neighbours is indispensable. In this regard there is also need to enhance human intelligence capability and involve the general public with the scheme of things to counter extremism in Bangladesh to pre-empt the designs of the extremists.
Comments