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15 YEARS OF COUNTRYWIDE SERIAL BOMBING

Militancy, extortion rooted out


Published : 16 Aug 2020 10:48 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 02:49 PM

Law enforcing agencies have successfully wiped out the root of militancy from the country, as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her pro-liberation government have taken a zero-tolerance policy towards militant activities.

However, counter terrorism experts warned that the ongoing strict vigilance must continue so that militant organizations may not further regroup, and strike again.

The nation is preparing to recall the incident of the countrywide simultaneous and serial bomb attacks carried out by the banned extremist outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh on August 17 in 2005.

Two persons were killed and over 50 people wounded as the outfit carried out the bomb attacks at about 500 points in all districts except Munshiganj.

Leading political observers said BNP-Jamaat top leaders had directly patronized the militancy for their own political interests against pro-liberation political parties including the Awami League. But at one stage, the militancy went out of control.

Terming the 17-August country-wide simultaneous bomb blasts, they alleged that it was not possible without the blessing of then BNP-Jamaat regime.

Getting support of the then government mechanism, the militants carried out a deadly grenade attack on Awami League’s mammoth anti-terrorism rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital Dhaka leaving 24 dead and scores injured on August 21 in 2004 targeting to kill Sheikh Hasina and her party central leadership.

Khaleda Zia and her government staged ‘Judge Miah’ drama to divert the case in a different channel to cloak their connection with the militants.

After Awami League came to power with the landslide victory in the 2008 parliamentary election, Sheikh Hasina rewarded her zero tolerance policy against militancy, extortion and all sorts of corruption.

During the BNP-Jamaat rule, mass people became victims of terrorism and extortions. People had to pay extortion money, even if they went for constructing a boundary wall.

BNP cadres moved openly carrying fire arms and established a state of terror in the country. But now people can construct their high rise buildings without paying any extortion to anyone.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina got arrested even the parliamentarians whenever they were accused in any criminal offence. But her main political rival Khaleda Zia, when she was Prime Minister, often rewarded her party leaders despite allegations of crime, corruption and militant links against them.

Sheikh Hasina intensified her fight to make the country corruption-free. She started her anti-corruption war from inside her party. 

After the Holey Artisan café attack on July 1 in 2016, no large scale militant attacks occurred in the country.

She instructed law enforcers to demolish the militant networks and as per her fair and stringent stance, law enforcers have successfully dismantled the militant organizations from the country.

Distinguished political observers believe that militants will never be able to carry out any such simultaneous country-wide bomb blast like in 2005, if Sheikh Hasina is in power.