Alleged terrorist Saiful Islam (21) is the son of Abul Khayer of Dumuria upazila in Khulna. According to the Police, before getting involved with the”Neo JMB”, he was an active member of Shibir. Even Saiful’s father Abul Khayer, was associated with Jammat E Islami Bangladesh.
We must give credit to our police force to save us from a devastating attack on a national mourning day. Yet the people have question seeking answers. How come a terrorist stays at hotel with explosives within such a short distance? The explosion was so powerful that it caused a section of the building’s fourth floor wall to collapse. With Saiful, so far 69 suspected militants either died in police shooting or blew themselves up by detonating suicide vests during at least 22 anti-terror drives across the country since the Gulshan café attack on July 1 last year. Besides, around 150 got arrested.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Mia have assured us that the terrorists have no more strength to carry out any major subversive act. But this is not what the general public want to hear. People of Bangladesh deserve to know, whether our police force is actually capable of defeating terrorism in our country. The information supplied by police is not often believed. It is not easy to believe that a lone man was involved in the planed explosion for the 15th August. Those who are determined to kill others do not commit suicide just to kill himself. If the Police had information about him prior to the incident, then why had not they caught him off guard? We can easily imagine what could have happened if the attack had been successful. Terrorism can easily destroy our socio-economic life and ruin the image of our country internationally. We expect that our counter terrorism unit will be careful, responsive and observant. They must realize that they are dealing with such a problem which is a huge concern for major super powers. So this issue must be dealt with convincingly and credibly.
The fundamental thing the public have to accept is that they are maintained for saving life and not destroying it. Besides, police cannot destroy evidence for the need of proving the offence.
Again, it is our view that the people must have their assurance from police that they are living in safe and secure condition. Over-presence of police remind everybody that life is not safe. They must live in insecurity.
Armed police everywhere may install fear in the minds of law-abiding people, but the fight against terrorism must be conducted by intelligence agencies and not placing police as easy target.
