Dozens of young Islamic militants in different parts of the country have left their homes in recent weeks. Police fear a large-scale attack is being prepared. They reinforce security measures around places of worship.
Dhaka () – Security alarm in Bangladesh due to the multiplication of cases of young Islamic militants who have abandoned their homes. It is feared that fundamentalist groups are preparing a large-scale terrorist attack. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, has announced the state of maximum alert around the places of worship of Hindus on the occasion of the celebrations for the Durga Puja festival, which will take place between today and next October 5th.
About fifty young Islamic militants, in different parts of the country, have left their homes in the name of “hijrat”, an Arabic word derived from “hijr”, which means “to leave” and is used in radical Islamist groups with a religious meaning. . A similar phenomenon occurred six years ago before the horrific attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, in which 29 people were killed.
“We are working to prevent acts of vandalism from occurring during the celebration. In any case, we are well prepared to face any attack,” said Commissioner Mohammad Shafiqul Islam. He added that in Dhaka, the capital, Durga Puja will be celebrated in 233 different places. In special places of worship, the police will establish additional security measures, such as the installation of CCTV cameras, fences and a sufficient number of police officers.
The issue of the “hijrat” has been monitored by the Bangladeshi security forces since last month, when the disappearance of seven university students from Comilla began to be investigated. Their relatives reported that none of them had taken clothes, cash or cell phones. Before leaving, the young people said at home that they were going to the training center. Little by little, the police discovered that the same thing had happened in recent weeks with dozens of young people between the ages of 17 and 25.
