S. M. Mizanur Rahman :Diplomats and international media continue to warn that more terror attacks may take place anytime, anywhere in the country, as what they believe Islamic State’s (IS) activists are active in Bangladesh.As a series of deadly attacks raised alarm in the country as well as abroad, Bangladesh government has already taken various measures to assure local and foreigners of providing all out security. As the government frequently told that there is no existence of IS in Bangladesh.Besides, the taskforce formed headed by Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on the security of diplomats and diplomatic premises recommended some new measures to strengthen security of diplomats and officials of the diplomatic missions.It is also working on overall security issues of foreigners in Bangladesh following the two back-to-back terror attacks in a Gulshan cafe in Dhaka and Sholakia in Kishorganj early last month.As a result, panic continues to people in the capital Dhaka and other metropolitan cities following the diplomats’ warning and international media report. But the United States of America (USA) United Kingdom (UK) and European Union fear further terrorist attacks in Bangladesh targeting foreigners, particularly the westerners.’There’s a heightened threat of further terrorist attacks and foreigners, in particular westerners, may be directly targeted,” said a UK statement. The EU described the current Bangladesh situation as very critical and fears further attacks like that of Gulshan café and is actively considering sending back their staff members’ families to Europe, EU Ambassador in Dhaka Pierre Mayaudon quoted as saying. Apart from being fully operational, Middle East-based Islamist terrorist outfit IS has grown its root into Bangladesh, reports US news channel NBC.Besides, a New York Times has already said IS sent its ‘foot soldiers’ to Bangladesh as well as to Indonesia and Malaysia in Asia.According to India Today report, the intelligence agencies warned Dhaka that the ‘Jama’atul Mujahedeen, Bangladesh’ (JMB) groups are still active in Bangladesh. It also stated that the group is active along the Indo-Bangla border.Security services are known to have foiled several other plots targeting Dhaka attack. The capital is one of the heaviest protected cities in the country, however, with counter-terrorism officers working round the clock to counter homegrown extremism. Country’s all metropolitan cities including Dhaka are on high alert as security services brace for further terror plots designed to follow up the horrific Gulshan massacre.Members of different law enforcing agencies across the capital as well as other metropolitan cities are preparing for the possibility of a fresh terror attack on country’s soil after terrors killed at least 22 people mostly foreigners at a café at Gulshan in the city. More armed police have been drafted into international airports including railway Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport whilst there is also an increased police presence at Key Point Installments (KPIs), major transport hubs including railway stations. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan categorically said that there was no existence of IS in Bangladesh although they are misguiding people in the name of such international militant group. “They (militants) are all home grown … the militant activities which Bangladesh is facing in the recent times are the exposure of some local and international conspiracies to halt Bangladesh’s ongoing progress,” he told journalists after inaugurating a newly constructed passport office in Cox’s Bazar on Friday. He said a new conspiracy is being hatched in the name of IS militants.”In the past, we have witnessed emergence of militant organization like JMB and Huji Harkatul Jihad (Huji) whose activities were encouraged and supported by the then state machineries,” he added. The Home Minister said as part of their deep-rooted conspiracies, they launched terror attacks in the city to destabilise the country as well tarnish its image abroad. Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu at a view exchange meeting with different professional bodies and civil society leaders, at a city hotel of Khulna said BNP chairperson Begum Zia has been patronizing terrorism and militancy failing in her so-called movement of torching properties and people.”The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are responsible for the rise of militancy in the country,” he added
