Kazi Zahidul Hasan :Security analysts have expressed concerned over the recent spate of killings by suspected terrorists groups saying that the government has failed to curb the issue properly due to lack of a comprehensive strategy to combat militancy.Over 40 people have died in the past three years in a series of attacks targeting university professors, secular bloggers, gay rights activists, foreigners and members of religious minorities.Terming these attacks as credible ‘threat to state security’, they urged the government to immediately launch coordinated efforts engaging all concerned to counter militant attacks as well as fight against the growing threat of militancy.”Target killing has already posed a serious threat to state security, and by killing a police officer’s wife, militants have thrown further challenge to the state security,” Brigadier General (Retd) Muhammad Sakhawat Hussain, a security analyst told The New Nation on Monday.He said the incidents of militant attacks are increasing steadily despite round the year operation by security agencies raising question about their efficiency to address the growing menace.”The attacks mostly carried out in broad daylight creating panic among the people, but the government agencies are struggling to stem the wave of violence. Even they have failed to nab the attackers or chase the masterminds working behind the scene,” he noted.Sakhawat also said that extremist groups are often making surprising presence by carrying out target killings threatening security of the state apparatus. I don’t think that the whole people of the country are in security threat ….only the state apparatus is in security threat. When asked, he said, “Of course, the killing of a police officer’s wife will impact the morale negatively on field level officers of the police force although they are not admitting the issue”. Referring to Home Minister’s comment on latest killing incidents by suspected militants, Sakhawat said, he (minister) has blamed the home-grown Islamist militants for the attacks, rejecting claims of responsibility from IS and al-Qaeda. He said the Minister also blamed for killings local and international conspiracy. All these are conflicting statements because if he has the information regarding the conspiracy and local militant groups are involved, why he does not ask the security agencies to work to root out the conspiracy and nab the culprits.”Extremists groups are apparently regrouping themselves taking advantage of the country’s political squabbles. They might be getting patronize from some quarters in the political circle to create chaos in the country,” Major General (Retd) MA Rashid, another security specialist, told The New Nation yesterday.But he said he does not agree with the people who are saying that extremists growing due to lack of democracy or freedom of speech. Like other countries, extremist groups are operating here having a particular political agenda. He claimed there has been a decline in terrorist groups from 2009 to 2014 when the government launched crackdown on extremists capturing key masterminds of such groups.”But now they are trying to make a fresh come back to have a political gain under a changed political scenario of the country,” added MA Rashid.The country has recently been weathering a surge of targeted killings claiming the lives of secularists, religious minorities and gay activists. In the latest spate of attack, they killed the wife of a police officer to create panic among the police force.”So, it is clear that their mission is only creating panic to pursue their political agenda but not the ideology,” he added.”No doubt Bangladesh continues to face significant threats to its internal security following repeated target killings and attacks by suspected militant groups,” said MA Rashid, adding, “The government should take a comprehensive strategy to fight against the growing threat of militancy.The strategy should be formulated involving all concerned including major political parties. Besides, political parties should work together shedding their rivalry realizing militancy is a national crisis.”Our internal security is under serious threat as militant groups are carrying out attacks one after another killing university professors, secular bloggers, foreigners and members of religious minorities,” Dr Zia Rahman, Chairman, Department of Criminology at Dhaka University told The New Nation on Monday.He said, “The militant groups are reaching out their target one after another but the law enforcement agencies or police are yet to nab the assistants and even failed to chase the under cover ghosts”. Expressing concern over the surge in militant attacks, Dr Zia Rahman said, at least 10 people have been killed by suspected Islamist militants in the last 10 weeks alone. All they have been killed in the same fashion and police are struggling to nab the culprits,” said Zia Rahman.Intelligence sources said, militant groups like JMB, HuJI-B, Lashkar-e-Taiyaba and al Qaeda affiliates having link with international jihadi organisations are operating to consolidate their presence in Bangladesh.
