MEDIA report in national dailies on Wednesday about the arrest of 13 Bangladeshi nationals in Singapore on charge of militant activities has come as a big shock to the nation. Local daily The Straight Time reported quoting the police that they were plotting attacks against the government in Dhaka. The news appears to be highly disturbing for the country’s image abroad that in our opinion calls for cautious scrutiny. They were detained last month but five were already deported; the remaining eight are facing interrogation. As reported they were working in Singapore construction industry and allegedly running ‘jihadi cells’ to hit political targets back home in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi workers are so anxious to avoid trouble that they are often blackmailed and abused. We feel certain that the Bangladeshi workers in Singapore were trapped.Our High Commissioner must take up the matter with great earnest to find out all about the investigation and give the investigation all cooperation.Our poor and unemployed young ones are too anxious to keep their jobs abroad and the reputation they have is that they work hard and most obediently.As per the news report these young people went to Singapore to join the fighting machine of IS in Iraq and Syria. But failing to move ahead they set up the so-called Islamic State-Bangladesh (ISB) in Singapore and were plotting attacks on government leaders and officials in Dhaka. Singapore had also arrested 27 Bangladeshi nationals last year who were construction workers and were charged for similar militant activities under the cover of a religious study group. Later they were deported to Dhaka in January this year. The Singapore Home Ministry in a press release said the five deported this time were found not involved in any ISB related militant activity. But the remaining eight are now facing interrogation for having ‘possessed and/or proliferated jihadi-related materials and money that supported the use of armed violence in pursuit of a religious cause.’ They had also a list of targets suggesting plots against Bangladesh government. We must express our doubt about their involvement as alleged.Bangladesh is now facing grave political uncertainty and violence is widespread. The people have political grievances. But that does not mean that workers abroad will indulge in futile and reckless activities risking their jobs and livelihood. It is known that Singapore police is very sensitive about safety and security in the country. It is quite possible that after detail investigation the government of Singapore will find that the suspicion of religious extremism among our worker in Singapore is totally baseless. We are worried that Bangladesh should be considered as a country exporting terrorists to Western countries.
