Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The latest missing incident of six youths from the city has created a fresh panic among the people as well as the members of different law enforcement agencies.
As, most of the youths belonging to militant outfit had left their residences and gone into hiding in order to frame strategy to launch terror attack, it is very natural for the common people and the law enforces to take issue seriously.
The youths, who launched heinous terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery at Gulshan cafe in city on July 1, had left their respective residence earlier. A total of 22 people, including 17 foreign nationals and two senior officers of police were killed in the attack
“Feelings of anxiety and fear are very common and are normal responses to this experience. So we are on high alert,” an official of intelligence agency told The New Nation.
Abul Kalam Azad, a teacher of the Dhaka University, said the missing youths may launch attack anytime anywhere.
Banani Rani Roy, a city dweller, told The New Nation on Wednesday, “I am fear of the further militant attacks as six militants went missing in the last week.”
MA Rashid, a security analyst, said, “The attacks mostly carried out creating panic among the people, but the government agencies are struggling to stem the wave of violence.”
“The government should take a comprehensive strategy to fight against the growing threat of militancy,” he said.
According to the intelligence agencies, the age, social status, educational qualifications, and the pattern of recent missing of the six youths are similar to those who disappeared ahead of the Gulshan attack.
After the attack at Holey Artisan, law enforcers found that a number of youths went missing between December 2015 and June 2016, who were also found involved in terrorism, they said.
On July 10, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) published a list of 261 missing. Many of them were killed in Kallyanpur, Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj police raids.
Following the Gulsahn attack, some of the missing youths surrendered to the law enforcers and a few number of also returned to their residences. But many have still remained missing.
However, the members of the law enforcing agencies are in dark whether the youths were involved in any sort of militant activities.
Safayet Hossain, 24, Zayen Hossain Khan Pavel, 23, and Sobuj alias Sujon, 25, and Mehedi Hasan, 27, residents of city’s Banani, went missing. They were last seen at a restaurant in Banani, they said.
Meanwhile, Sayeed Anwar Khan, residence of Banani went on missing Monday afternoon while Imran Farhat, a resident of Cantonment area on November 29.
The families of Zayen and Mehedi filed general diaries (GDs) on December 4, where they mentioned that Safayet and Sujon also went missing. Anwar’s family filed a GD in this regard on Tuesday.
Imran Farhad’s mother Sabina Yasmin lodged a GD with Cantonment Police Station on December 2.
Pavel’s father Ismail Khan said, “I have been in touch with law enforcement agencies … I hope they will find him soon.”
One of Imran’s aunts said, “They came to know that Imran had last sent a SMS to girl from his cell phone, saying he was leaving. The girl, however, said she has no idea about his whereabouts, added the woman, wishing not to be named.”
Shafayat’s friends said he used to make Facebook posts on strict religious adherence.
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit Deputy Commissioner Md Mohibul Islam Khan said they are gathering information about the missing young men — what they do, who their acquaintances are and their criminal records.
Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said two missing diaries were recorded in this regard.
The sudden disappearance has caused serious concern to their families, given that the Holey Artisan Bakery attackers and many other militant suspects disappeared in a similar fashion, the police official said, adding, they are investigating into the matter “quite seriously”.
