Militants here now incapable of large-scale attacks: CTTC chief

Terror outfits are no longer capable of carrying out large-scale subversive operations in Bangladesh, claimed Md Asaduzzaman, chief of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit.

He further said that the country has been successful in keeping militancy under firm control.

"The counter-terrorism unit of DMP is working relentlessly to arrest the members of the terrorist organisations currently active in the country," Asaduzzaman added while talking in a press conference today held at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media Centre.

He said, "Police have information on two foreign linked militants – John and Salahuddin – from Turkey and India respectively, are actively trying to patronise local militant groups to bolster their grip in the country."

Earlier, CTTC Chief said there are several international spillover effects, such as the drawback of US troops from Afghanistan or persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, that could speed up local radicalisation and regrouping – jumpstarting terror activities in Bangladesh.

Today marks another grim anniversary of the Holey Artisan café attack in Dhaka's Gulshan in 2016, carried out by neo, self-radicalised through the Internet and home-grown militants.

After the café carnage, the law enforcers carried out 28 high risk anti-militancy operations across the country to neutralise the networks of the "third generation militants".

On the occasion, both Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun said that the militants are trying to organise themselves using online platforms. But they will be subdued through regular operations and surveillance.

During the terror attack on 1 July 2016, nine Italians, seven Japanese, five Bangladeshis including two police officers, and one Indian died. A Bangladesh Army commando raid ended having killed five militants.

Years after the country's worst terror attack, the bakery launched on a limited scale at its new address - the first floor of Rangs Arcade on Gulshan Avenue - where it shifted six months later with five of the old staff members.

According to Supreme Court spokesperson Md Saifur Rahman, High Court department is still scrutinising the case documents which were supposed to be prepared and compiled for the hearing in August last year.

"But due to the ongoing pandemic, the scrutiny is being delayed. There is a separate paper book for each accused and each paper book contains several thousand pages. Therefore, it is taking a lot of time," he told TBS.

As soon as the scrutiny is done, the documents –- which are collectively called paper book – would be presented to the chief justice. He will then appoint a High Court bench to hear the matter.