Staff Reporter :
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal reiterated his stance of no organizational structure of terrorist outfit Islamic State (IS) in Bangladesh.
The Home Ministry boss expressed his opinion to the reporters on Wednesday, hours after SITE reiterated its reports on IS’s claim of murdering two foreigners’ and bomb attack at Shia Headquarters.”Those who claim to be IS in the country are offshoots of militant outfits Huji, al-Qaeda and JMB (Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh). They all have their roots with Jamaat-Shibir,” he said.
US-based for-profit SITE Intelligence Group attributed the murder of two foreign nationals and the bombings on Shia Muslim community in Old Dhaka to the IS.
But Bangladesh government has repeatedly ruled out any activity of the terrorist group inside the country.
SITE defended its claim in a press release on Tuesday, saying its IS reports were authentic and Bangladesh authorities would “do better to face the reality”.
Rebutting the claim, Asaduzzaman Khan said: “Claim of the militant activities were not found in the main website of the IS. They were done from somewhere else.” There is a local and international conspiracy to stir up instability in the country, he said.
“We are arresting them (militants) all. They will be brought under justice,” the minister said.
However, a US (United States) State Department spokesperson also said on Wednesday that they were not sure of IS presence in Bangladesh.
Indian intelligence has also ruled out IS involvement with the recent incidents.
On the other hand, the minister also claimed that along with other politicians including BNP leaders including former ward commissioner MA Qaiyum are in the list of suspicion of arranging the incidents like murdering two foreign nationals in the country and deadly bomb blast. He made this comment to the media after a cabinet meeting on law and order situation at secretariat in city on the day. Earlier on Tuesday, the minister commented that some politicians including a ‘big brother’ were involved in killing foreign nationals in the country.
Foreign countries issued and maintained security alert for their citizens in Bangladesh since the murders of Italian national Cesare Tavella on September 28 and Japanese Kunio Hoshi five days later. On October 24, three improvised bombs were blasted at Shia headquarters Hossaini Dalan in old Dhaka prior to Tazia procession, killing one teenager and injuring 87 others.
