Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
Since orchestrated series of attacks in Paris by representatives of ideologue of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or Daesh in November of 2015 and San Bernardino of California in December of last year wave of terror has been spread from Turkey to Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Wave of terror has also been reflected in other countries around the world when advancement of ISIS in Iraq and Syria has been stopped by joint coalition of Western power and some Sunni Muslim countries in the Middle East led by United States. Possibly suicide bombings adopted by ISIS has become its second strategy to terrorize people.
Power of Islamic state of Iraq and Syria or Daesh now spreads over to Least Developed Country of Bangladesh but the administration has continuously blamed opposition political parties without cogent reasons. The siege in Dhaka Café of Holey Artisan Bakery took place preceded by suicide bombings at world’s one of the busiest airports of Kamal Ataturk in Istanbul of Turkey by ISIS.
As reported during the ten-hour siege of Café in Gulshan area, a relatively rich neighborhood of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh on first of July 22 civilians including seven Japanese, nine Italians, one American, three Bangladeshis sfet and one Indian were dead in the shoot out by terrorists of ISIS.
Thirteen hostages were released by Rapid Action Battalion Police along with army while two policemen lost their lives during encounter with terrorist. RAB succeeded to arrest one of the hijackers. On the same day Hindu priest at a temple was hacked to death in Jhenidah, Southern district of Bangladesh.
There is no denying the fact ISIS or its sympathizers are involved in carrying out such massacres which reflects from released photographs of the alleged attackers and of the scene inside the Café before Bangladesh Rapid Action Battalion moved on the scene. As reported by CNN, photographs posted by ISIS affiliated media outlet: Amag includes gruesome scenes in the Café.
The drama enacted by ISIS in Dhaka is nothing new. Several bloggers, thinker, professors, publisher and Hindu priests were subjected to murder in Bangladesh in recent days but no criminal was caught.
On the other hand, the people in power continue to blame opposition political parties while the country remains uncared for growing militancy. The country has been subjected to unprecedented violation of human rights and extra-judicial killing as well.
According to Amnesty International, a watch dog on Human rights, says in its report of 2015-2016 “hundreds of opposition supporters were detained for various periods and times on politically motivated grounds, independent media came under severe pressure and freedom of expression was restricted. More than 40 people were subjected to enforced disappearances.
“Two militant groups in Bangladesh: Ansar-Al-Islam which is reportedly affiliated to Al-Qaeda and Jamat-Ul-Mujahideen which claims representing ISIS have been behind violences over the last two years.
ISIS also carried out another devastating suicide bombing in Baghdad killing more than 200 people and injuring around 130 people in a busy shopping center at Karrada neighborhood of Baghdad when suicide truck bomb blasted at a time when Iraqi forces retook Fallujah from ISIS forces. Karrada neighborhood is dominated by Shiite population in Baghdad. This action by ISIS reflects Sunni-Shiite rivalry in Baghdad.
Sunni dominated Saudi Arabia also is not free or immune from nefarious actions of ISIS. Following attacks in Baghdad Saudi Arabia was attacked by suicide bomber. Suicide bombings struck three Saudi Cities. US consulate in Jeddah, holy city of Medina and a Shiite mosque in Qalif were subjected to suicide bombing by ISIS.
Attacks by ISIS in Turkey and Saudi Arabia is the result of joining with US led coalition forces against ISIS in Syria. As of now a Turkey was the transit route to allow militants to join forces of ISIS from around the world. Both the countries are now paying back for intensifying action against ISIS in Syria. Both Sunni dominated countries should have intensified their action against ISIS long time back situation should not have been deteriorated at all. Either directly or indirectly ISIS were inspired by both Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Coordinated efforts by religious Muslim leaders from all around the world to come up with series of condemnation of killing people, which tantamount to violation of Qur’anic injunction has become all the more a necessity in view of series of carnage.
(Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat from Bangladesh writes from Virginia )
