Anu Mahmud :
Even before we could barely recover from the grue-some terrorist attack at a Spanish Holey Artisn Bakery restaurant in Gulshan that left 20 hostages, mainly foreigners, dead, we are faced with another attack, this time on an Eid congregation, the largest in the country, at Sholakia, Kishoreganj. That the attackers chose Eid day and targeted such a large number of Muslims, reveal their intention to distort Islam which they claim to be defending. The attack is a direct onslaught on peace-loving Muslims. It is laudable that the on duty policemen managed to prevent higher casualties though the attack left two policemen and a woman (housewife) dead.
Apparently this Eid congregation was targeted because of the actions of the Imam who would have led the Eid prayers. He had previously collected signatures from over 100,000 Islamic scholars and declared terrorism and suicide attacks as haram (or forbidden under Islamic law). We urge the government to provide the required protection to the courageous Imam and the other religious leaders who have pledged allegiance to the anti terrorism cause.
It is clear that these terrorists are not upholders of Islam. Rather they are using a perverted interpretation of religion to annihilate anyone they perceive to be their opponent – they could be foreigners, Sufis, people of other faiths, freethinkers and Muslims who do not endorse their death cult. Investigations have revealed that many members of these death squads are well educated and from fairly well to do families. In such a frightening scenario, we must all stand united, forgetting our differences, to fight a common enemy and make our country safe again. This means the public and the police must develop trust and cooperation with each other to identify the radicalised terrorists who are waiting to carry out their next killing spree.
Thousands of worshippers were caught up in Eidday’s incident at Sholakia. The violence had reportedly begun at 8.45am when a group of some seven men attacked the outer police cordon just an hour before the prayers were due to begin. Though there was no immediate claim of responsibility by any of the known groups, but the information minister is reported to have said the attack was carried out by domestic militants attempting to topple the government and establish ‘strict Islamic law’ in the country. We fail to make out of what form of ‘strict Islamic law’ inspires to attack and inflict terror on a sacred place like a praying ground while killing other Muslims?
This unanticipated brutal act of terror has shaken the country for being the first major attack directed entirely at Muslims. However, it was particularly satisfying to have been informed about the prompt and fitting response of the police to the attacks. Had security measures were not so effective, the damage and number of death might have taken catastrophic proportions.
The day, timing and the venue for the attacks clearly marks the increasing level of audacious and reckless militant attempts on civilian targets. Those who attempt to cause terror in the name of Islam on a holy and auspicious event like the Eid day should not be anyhow perceived as terrorists who needs to be dealt with ruthlessly.
The country is still reeling from the 13-hour siege of the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka on 1 July and the recent attacks on Sholakia praying grounds have just added another growing fear to our terrorism scenario – Muslims or non-Muslims none are spared from the wrath of militants and extremists in Bangladesh.
More daringly, three Bangladeshis have subsequently appeared on a believed to be an ISI’s video threatening to continue the attacks by hinting at more dangerous and big-scale attacks. There is no scope to take these threatening frivolously.
Against the backdrop of such an ominous reality the country must collectively unite to deter any scale of terror attacks. We must also immediately pinpoint what are the factors turning our youths to become radicalised and violent. Lastly, we must ensure safety and protection to our law enforcers. The recent number of their killings has appeared alarming.
The tragedy which occurred at the Sholakia Eid congregation is a warning yet once again of the long and arduous battle we must all wage against these terrorists who in the name of Islam are going around spreading fear all across the country. In light of the terror attack in Dhaka’s Gulshan over a week ago, that in the face of such concentrated assaults on the nation, indeed on the secular values we uphold in Bangladesh, we all need to come together. Nothing can be a more powerful defence of values than a people willing and ready to beat back every attempt at a undermining of its culture and heritage. It is that spirit which must now come into play, across political difference as we struggle to keep this country sale from the blood-thirsty barbarians who are desperate about appropriating God to themselves.
The unified and united stand we speak of must be accompanied by determined moves on the part of the state and its security apparatus to thwart all attempts by these terrorists to have their way. They have killed two policemen and a housewife in Sholakia. They could well have caused a lot more casualties had they been able to penetrate the prayer grounds. It is to the credit of the law enforcers that even as they took a hit from these criminals, they were able to prevent a bloodbath from occurring on Eid day. We hardly need to remind ourselves of the grave embarrassment we have suffered owing to what has happened in Gulshan. If anything, as citizens and the government have realized, that assault by terrorists which left twenty plus people dead and now this new instance of terrorism in Sholakia only reinforce the need for more stringent measures at creacking down hard and without mercy on the perpetrators of religion-driven crime.
That crackdown must focus not only on nabbing terrorists and destroying their dens but also on a determined and well-organised operation to locate, identify and nab their patrons. There is certainly a huge need to beat back terrorists, but unless we are able to take out their masterminds as ruthlessly as we can…. and here we need not be overly concerned with such ideas as human rights for the merchants of terror—we will be forced to face such situations as those that have occurred in Gulshan and Sholakia again and again. Let there be no illusion that in these moments of grave crises in our courtyard—- these Islamist criminals are no more at our doorstep but have advanced into our courtyard— we as a nation must unite behind the government as it tries to restore normal life in the country. For its part, the government should make it a point to reach out, indeed to go beyond the politically partisan, to everyone as it seeks to restore the high moral ground on which we as a people have always sought to carry ourselves as citizens.
Now it is clear that even the solemn occasion of Eid is no deterrent as far as terrorist activities of the misguided elements are concerned. The question is whether they are directly linked to the top global terrors outfits. The government has been consistent in its claim that this terrorism is home-grown. But the terrorists’ modus operandi does suggest that they are following the way IS or al-Qaeda operates in the Middle East. Now it is to be seen whether the local terrorists are maintaining only ideological connections with the top terror groups, or getting direct support also.
Another development which must not be ignored is that well educated boys from reputable universities have become terrorists. It was evident after the Gulshan carnage, and a student from a big private university is reported to have taken part in the Solakia attack also. So, something is going terribly wrong somewhere as it is not only the madrasas which are producing terrorists. We must look for an altogether new analysis of the socio-economic factors that tend to push young men towards terrorism.
It is now clear that the attackers are not going to relent. So, the pressure on our security and law enforcement agencies is mounting and they need the support of all and sundry to succeed in their mission of wiping out terrorism.
We must not be oblivious of the truth that some countries have already been ruined by terrorist strikes that always take a heavy toll of human lives and property. People must stand united to face the menace which is a threat to our lives, freedom and democracy.
We have a single option today and that is to defeat terrorism, soundly and decisively. This land is too precious in terms of its heritage, its politics and its history to be commandeered by barbarians wielding medieval terror.
(The writer is an Economic analyst, researcher & columnist, e-mail [email protected])
