Extremists ready to attack during Eid, police on alert: DMP commissioner
Probable extremists are prepared to carry out attacks during Eid ul Azha. Their competency to carry out attacks has increased and their bombs are more powerful now, said by Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Shafiqul Islam.
While addressing a media conference at DMP Media Centre in the capital today (Tuesday), Shafiqul Islam also said that police are also alert to prevent such attacks.
Responding to a question the DMP commissioner said, “I don’t think anything would happen but we’re on alert because their audacity has increased recently. At the same time, their expertise in making bombs also has increased quite a lot too.”
“There were incidents of bomb attacks at five police check posts in Dhaka before I became the commissioner (of DMP). Those bombs were made by almost novices. That’s why nothing serious happened to the policemen except minor injuries. That means their bombs were not very powerful. But recently, the bombs we recovered were very powerful. There could have been a massacre if those had exploded. That means their efficiency has increased and they could employ trained people in making bombs. That’s why we feel they are prepared.”
In response to another question regarding the rise of extremist plots, the DMP commissioner said, “Nowadays people have less opportunity to go out. Recreation is limited. Many people are surfing from one website to another and in the process they are getting trapped.”
Shafiqul Islam said the surveillance of police is also nothing to be underestimated. That’s why nothing serious takes place here. The three extremists arrested in India left Bangladesh for jihad.
Police knew this from beforehand and informed the appropriate authorities, he added.
It was also said at the DMP media conference that police, as part of preemptive action, have detained suspected members of gangs that saw the metal grills and break into homes to steal.
The law enforcement, however, asked people to take safety measures as it is hardly possible for them to fully ensure security of hundreds of thousands of homes.