Police in Bangladesh shot down five members of a family they suspect was affiliated with the Neo Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh in Rajshahi in the northern part of the country, Sumit Chowdhury, Assistant Superintendent of Rajshahi Police confirmed to WION. A firefighter was killed during the overnight raid and five members of the police were also injured.

Police said the five suspects belonged to the same family. They primarily suspected the son of the family Al-Amin&#39;s affiliation with neo-JMB.

Police and specialised units of the law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh have been carrying out countrywide anti-terrorist raids since March, which have killed several suspects of neo-JMB, a local terrorist outfit affiliated with the Islamic State.

A Sylhet house planted with IED led Bangladesh Army to wage a five-day operation taking out four members. The police suspected the members were part of the neo-JMB.&nbsp;

Human rights organisations point out that information about the counter-terrorist operations are largely one-sided with only the police providing their narratives. &quot;Whatever information we are getting are from the police,&quot; said Nur Khan, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra, a Bangladeshi human rights organisation. There is no way to independently authenticate the information.

Eight suspects including four children were killed in an anti-terrorist operation in Sylhet codenamed &quot;Operation Hitback&quot; on March 30. &quot;The objective of the operations appears to be elimination even if that is at the cost of lives,&quot; Khan told WION, adding many women and children are becoming victims of these operations.&nbsp;

&quot;Our law enforcement agencies should be more careful, so that there are less casualties and suspects can be captured alive. That would provide an opportunity to reap benefits of de-radicalisation. When they die in the raids, acquiring further information becomes limited,&quot; Khan told WION. &nbsp;

Rights groups including the Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly raised concerns about enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh previously.

The anti-terror drives happen following a deadly cafe attack in Dhaka, that was claimed by the Islamic State in July last year, which killed at least 20 civilians.&nbsp;

(WION)

Police and specialised units of the law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh have been carrying out countrywide anti-terrorist raids since March, which have killed several suspects of neo-JMB

Police in Bangladesh shot down five members of a family they suspect was affiliated with the Neo Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh in Rajshahi in the northern part of the country, Sumit Chowdhury, Assistant Superintendent of Rajshahi Police confirmed to WION. A firefighter was killed during the overnight raid and five members of the police were also injured. Police said the five suspects belonged to the same family. They primarily suspected the son of the family Al-Amin's affiliation with neo-JMB. Police and specialised units of the law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh have been carrying out countrywide anti-terrorist raids since March, which have killed several suspects of neo-JMB, a local terrorist outfit affiliated with the Islamic State. A Sylhet house planted with IED led Bangladesh Army to wage a five-day operation taking out four members. The police suspected the members were part of the neo-JMB. Human rights organisations point out that information about the counter-terrorist operations are largely one-sided with only the police providing their narratives. "Whatever information we are getting are from the police," said Nur Khan, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra, a Bangladeshi human rights organisation. There is no way to independently authenticate the information. Eight suspects including four children were killed in an anti-terrorist operation in Sylhet codenamed "Operation Hitback" on March 30. "The objective of the operations appears to be elimination even if that is at the cost of lives," Khan told WION, adding many women and children are becoming victims of these operations. "Our law enforcement agencies should be more careful, so that there are less casualties and suspects can be captured alive. That would provide an opportunity to reap benefits of de-radicalisation. When they die in the raids, acquiring further information becomes limited," Khan told WION. Rights groups including the Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly raised concerns about enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh previously. The anti-terror drives happen following a deadly cafe attack in Dhaka, that was claimed by the Islamic State in July last year, which killed at least 20 civilians. (WION)

Bangladesh: 5 members of a family suspected of links with Neo JMB killed in police raid

Bangladesh&#39;s Criminal Investigation Department has exhumed the body of Maldivian model Raudha Athif for a second autopsy.

The controversy surfaced over her death after her family rejected the local authorities&#39; claim that she had committed suicide.&nbsp;

On March 29, Raudha was found dead in her dormitory at the Islami Bank Medical College in Rajshahi, north of Bangladesh where she was pursuing her bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBBS).

The local police and college authorities claimed she had locked herself in her room and committed suicide. Raudha&#39;s father Mohamed Athif, however, suspects she was murdered and the authorities are concealing facts.

&quot;If she died from hanging by scarf, rope or chain the mark will appear. Ligation mark is the most important finding in a case of hanging. That should match with the material, which was used. It does not match,&quot; Mohamed told WION.

He continued, the college authorities &quot;said they found her hanging but there was not a single picture or video of her hanging. They said the door was locked from inside. The door is very strong but there is not a single sign of wreckage in the door.&quot;

The report is an insult to forensic studies and was a &quot;work of a schoolboy&quot;, said Mohamed Athif, who is a doctor trained in forensic medicine from India.

Mohamed Athif filed a murder case on April 10 at the Rajshahi Metropolitan Magistrate Court accusing Raudha&#39;s Indian friend Seerat Parveen Mohammad as the prime suspect.

The Criminal Investigation Department, which deals with complicated cases have taken up Raudha&#39;s file for further examination.

Raudha had appeared on the cover of Vogue India magazine in October 2016.

(WION)

Raudha Athif's father claims she was murdered, names her Indian friend as the prime suspect

Bangladesh's Criminal Investigation Department has exhumed the body of Maldivian model Raudha Athif for a second autopsy. The controversy surfaced over her death after her family rejected the local authorities' claim that she had committed suicide. On March 29, Raudha was found dead in her dormitory at the Islami Bank Medical College in Rajshahi, north of Bangladesh where she was pursuing her bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBBS). The local police and college authorities claimed she had locked herself in her room and committed suicide. Raudha's father Mohamed Athif, however, suspects she was murdered and the authorities are concealing facts. "If she died from hanging by scarf, rope or chain the mark will appear. Ligation mark is the most important finding in a case of hanging. That should match with the material, which was used. It does not match," Mohamed told WION. He continued, the college authorities "said they found her hanging but there was not a single picture or video of her hanging. They said the door was locked from inside. The door is very strong but there is not a single sign of wreckage in the door." The report is an insult to forensic studies and was a "work of a schoolboy", said Mohamed Athif, who is a doctor trained in forensic medicine from India. Mohamed Athif filed a murder case on April 10 at the Rajshahi Metropolitan Magistrate Court accusing Raudha's Indian friend Seerat Parveen Mohammad as the prime suspect. The Criminal Investigation Department, which deals with complicated cases have taken up Raudha's file for further examination. Raudha had appeared on the cover of Vogue India magazine in October 2016. (WION)

Bangladesh: Body of Maldivian model exhumed, further investigations begin

Bangladesh army has officially concluded &quot;Operation Twilight&quot;, killing four suspected terrorists -- including Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh key member Mynul Musa --&nbsp;in a militant den in northeastern Sylhet.&nbsp;

Police however, told WION that identities of the bodies cannot be confirmed. &quot;None of the bodies have been identified,&quot; said Basudev Banik, deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police.&nbsp;

Four explosions were heard during the day during the country&#39;s biggest counter-terror operation.&nbsp;Bomb disposal units attributed the&nbsp;explosions to diffusing the improvised explosive devices that they found inside the building.

The army had said that the militant den at the Shibbari residential neighbourhood was planted with improvised explosive devices which made it&nbsp;immensely difficult to maintain minimum casualty and damage.&nbsp;

The terrorists were highly trained and equipped, said Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan, director of Military Intelligence Unit.&nbsp;

&quot;There may be other terrorist cells in Sylhet that were responsible for carrying out a simultaneous attack&quot; only a few yards outside the militant den on March 25,&quot; said former Air Commodore Ishfaq Ilahi Chowdhury, a security analyst.

At least six persons were killed and 44 others&nbsp;injured in a bomb blast outside the militant den on March 25.

Police cordoned the building in Sylhet in the early hours on March 24 on information that Mynul Musa and other terrorists in possession of dirty bombs were staying there. 
 
Locals said the suspected terrorists rented an apartment in the building in January.

The army was given the charge of carrying out the counter-terrorist operation on instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, keeping the safety of the civilians into consideration.

Bangladesh has witnessed a spike in terrorist attacks in March after a lull for eight months since terrorists attacked a cafe in Dhaka and a mosque in Sholakia shortly afterwards last July.

Security analysts said that these attacks will influence a defence pact that will be signed between Bangladesh and India during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&#39;s visit to India next month.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

 
&nbsp;

Four suspected terrorists were killed and IEDs were diffused in the operation

Bangladesh army has officially concluded "Operation Twilight", killing four suspected terrorists -- including Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh key member Mynul Musa -- in a militant den in northeastern Sylhet. Police however, told WION that identities of the bodies cannot be confirmed. "None of the bodies have been identified," said Basudev Banik, deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police. Four explosions were heard during the day during the country's biggest counter-terror operation. Bomb disposal units attributed the explosions to diffusing the improvised explosive devices that they found inside the building. The army had said that the militant den at the Shibbari residential neighbourhood was planted with improvised explosive devices which made it immensely difficult to maintain minimum casualty and damage. The terrorists were highly trained and equipped, said Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan, director of Military Intelligence Unit. "There may be other terrorist cells in Sylhet that were responsible for carrying out a simultaneous attack" only a few yards outside the militant den on March 25," said former Air Commodore Ishfaq Ilahi Chowdhury, a security analyst. At least six persons were killed and 44 others injured in a bomb blast outside the militant den on March 25. Police cordoned the building in Sylhet in the early hours on March 24 on information that Mynul Musa and other terrorists in possession of dirty bombs were staying there. Locals said the suspected terrorists rented an apartment in the building in January. The army was given the charge of carrying out the counter-terrorist operation on instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, keeping the safety of the civilians into consideration. Bangladesh has witnessed a spike in terrorist attacks in March after a lull for eight months since terrorists attacked a cafe in Dhaka and a mosque in Sholakia shortly afterwards last July. Security analysts said that these attacks will influence a defence pact that will be signed between Bangladesh and India during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India next month. (WION)

Bangladesh: Key JMB member reportedly killed in 'Operation Twilight'

Rabiul Islam, 36, lives on the fourth floor of the five-storey Atia Mahal building in the Shibbari neighbourhood of Sylhet, where commando troops of the Bangladesh army are conducting a counter-terror operation.

Islam and his family were rescued on the morning of March 25 before the the troops launched &quot;Operation Twilight&quot;.

Islam was about to leave his house Friday morning when he was cautioned by security forces and terrorists in the building to stay inside.&nbsp;

&quot;When I opened the windows in the morning I saw the security forces cordoned off the building from all sides and we were asked not to move,&quot; said Islam, who works at a food and sweetmeat factory only 500 yards away from the building.

&quot;That is when I realised that we had become hostage,&quot; said Islam, who remained inside the building for an entire day.

Army spokespersons told WION that they learnt that terrorists planted improvised explosive devices in various parts of the building. The army had rescued the civilians using planks between rooftops of buildings and walked them out with covering fires.

&quot;I noticed three gunshots coming from the opposite direction as I was being walked out of the building,&quot; said Islam.

The army fears that the ground floor of the building is heavily rigged with IEDs.

Islam has been living in the building for a year with his wife and two children.&nbsp;

In an exclusive interview with WION, Islam said the terrorists rented an apartment in the ground floor of the building around three months ago.

The five-storied building consists of 30 flats. Islam said that the flats in the building were available for a monthly rent at $100.&nbsp;

As Bangladesh witnesses the biggest counter-terror operation in the northeastern Sylhet, water, gas and electricity within 2-kilometre radius of the militant den has been disconnected.

Firing and explosions can be heard intermittently at the militant den. The army has killed two terrorists in the building on Sunday, which marked three days into the counter-terror operation. They fear one or more terrorists may still be inside and they are maintaining&nbsp;caution in their operation to minimise casualty and damage within the neighbourhood.&nbsp;

&quot;How long will we have to put up with the situation?&quot; asks Mozaffor Hossain, a worker at the Rajmahal sweetmeat factory within the vicinity of the counter-terror operation.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Islam is currently living at his co-worker&#39;s house and is anxiously waiting to return to his home. &quot;Our valuables are still inside the building,&quot; he concludes.

(WION)

The Shibbari neighbourhood in Sylhet remains cut off from gas, electricity and power

Rabiul Islam, 36, lives on the fourth floor of the five-storey Atia Mahal building in the Shibbari neighbourhood of Sylhet, where commando troops of the Bangladesh army are conducting a counter-terror operation. Islam and his family were rescued on the morning of March 25 before the the troops launched "Operation Twilight". Islam was about to leave his house Friday morning when he was cautioned by security forces and terrorists in the building to stay inside. "When I opened the windows in the morning I saw the security forces cordoned off the building from all sides and we were asked not to move," said Islam, who works at a food and sweetmeat factory only 500 yards away from the building. "That is when I realised that we had become hostage," said Islam, who remained inside the building for an entire day. Army spokespersons told WION that they learnt that terrorists planted improvised explosive devices in various parts of the building. The army had rescued the civilians using planks between rooftops of buildings and walked them out with covering fires. "I noticed three gunshots coming from the opposite direction as I was being walked out of the building," said Islam. The army fears that the ground floor of the building is heavily rigged with IEDs. Islam has been living in the building for a year with his wife and two children. In an exclusive interview with WION, Islam said the terrorists rented an apartment in the ground floor of the building around three months ago. The five-storied building consists of 30 flats. Islam said that the flats in the building were available for a monthly rent at $100. As Bangladesh witnesses the biggest counter-terror operation in the northeastern Sylhet, water, gas and electricity within 2-kilometre radius of the militant den has been disconnected. Firing and explosions can be heard intermittently at the militant den. The army has killed two terrorists in the building on Sunday, which marked three days into the counter-terror operation. They fear one or more terrorists may still be inside and they are maintaining caution in their operation to minimise casualty and damage within the neighbourhood. "How long will we have to put up with the situation?" asks Mozaffor Hossain, a worker at the Rajmahal sweetmeat factory within the vicinity of the counter-terror operation. Meanwhile, Islam is currently living at his co-worker's house and is anxiously waiting to return to his home. "Our valuables are still inside the building," he concludes. (WION)

A hostage recounts his experience of the terrorist siege in Bangladesh

Two terrorists have been killed in&nbsp;the counter-terror operation that is still on at Sylhet in Bangladesh as&nbsp;terrorists have been holed up for four days.

&quot;Terrorists are very well trained and armed. There maybe one or more terrorists still inside,&quot;&nbsp;said Brig Gen Fakhrul Ahsan of Bangladesh Army in a press briefing on Sunday.

Earlier, Bangladesh Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan said that the commando forces are maintaining caution in the conduct of the &quot;operation twilight&quot; as they apprehend the terrorists have planted improvised explosive devices in the five-storied building they have been staying. The&nbsp;casualties&nbsp;and damage that the IEDs can cause cannot be ascertained.

At least six persons&nbsp;have been killed and 44 persons were injured in suicide bomb blast on Saturday&nbsp;evening. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack carried out just outside the perimeter cordoned by security forces.

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The injured have been moved to the MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital. The hospital&#39;s deputy director Debapada Roy told WION that six persons have succumbed to their injuries and 44 persons, including civilians and security personnel have been wounded from Saturday&#39;s bomb blast.

Among the wounded Lieutenant Colonel Abul Kalam Azad, head of the intelligence wing of Rapid Action Battalion is still in critical condition. He&nbsp;will be taken to Singapore for better treatment.

On the ground platoons of commando forces stand guard and an emergency has been imposed within the vicinity.

The armed forces evacuated 28 families comprising of 78 members from the five-storied building before launching assault operation.

Military ambulances and bomb disposal units have been kept on stand by.

On Friday suicide bomber blew up himself at a police checkpost near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The suicide blast occurred in space of a week into another suicide blast carried out at the demarcated premise for the future headquarters of the Rapid Action Battalion.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to visit India on April 7 when major defence and security agreements are likely to be signed. Security analysts have told WION the recent attacks including the 72-hour standoff so far in Sylhet counter terrorist operation will influence the agreements that will be signed between India and Bangladesh.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Massive counter-terrorist operation underway. Gunshots exchanged and explosions heard in intervals, reports Saad Hammadi

Two terrorists have been killed in the counter-terror operation that is still on at Sylhet in Bangladesh as terrorists have been holed up for four days. "Terrorists are very well trained and armed. There maybe one or more terrorists still inside," said Brig Gen Fakhrul Ahsan of Bangladesh Army in a press briefing on Sunday. Earlier, Bangladesh Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan said that the commando forces are maintaining caution in the conduct of the "operation twilight" as they apprehend the terrorists have planted improvised explosive devices in the five-storied building they have been staying. The casualties and damage that the IEDs can cause cannot be ascertained. At least six persons have been killed and 44 persons were injured in suicide bomb blast on Saturday evening. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack carried out just outside the perimeter cordoned by security forces. The injured have been moved to the MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital. The hospital's deputy director Debapada Roy told WION that six persons have succumbed to their injuries and 44 persons, including civilians and security personnel have been wounded from Saturday's bomb blast. Among the wounded Lieutenant Colonel Abul Kalam Azad, head of the intelligence wing of Rapid Action Battalion is still in critical condition. He will be taken to Singapore for better treatment. On the ground platoons of commando forces stand guard and an emergency has been imposed within the vicinity. The armed forces evacuated 28 families comprising of 78 members from the five-storied building before launching assault operation. Military ambulances and bomb disposal units have been kept on stand by. On Friday suicide bomber blew up himself at a police checkpost near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The suicide blast occurred in space of a week into another suicide blast carried out at the demarcated premise for the future headquarters of the Rapid Action Battalion. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to visit India on April 7 when major defence and security agreements are likely to be signed. Security analysts have told WION the recent attacks including the 72-hour standoff so far in Sylhet counter terrorist operation will influence the agreements that will be signed between India and Bangladesh. (WION)

Bangladesh: Two terrorists killed as anti-terror operation in Sylhet continues for fourth day

Four suspected terrorists have been killed at the end of the fourth day at a counter-terrorist operation codenamed &quot;Operation Twilight&quot; in the northeastern Sylhet in Bangladesh. The operation however, is still ongoing.&nbsp;

The bodies of two suspected terrorists killed during the commando assault on Sunday have been handed over to the police. The bodies could not be identified yet, said Basudev Banik, deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police.&nbsp;

&quot;The two bodies inside the building still have IED vests put on. There may be more IEDs planted in the building, for which the operation has not been concluded,&quot; said Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Army.

Whether there are more people in the building also cannot be confirmed, he told WION. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The operation is likely to officially conclude tomorrow after the commando forces end their search throughout the building and the bomb disposal units finish diffusing the bombs, Banik told WION.&nbsp;

India&#39;s Border Security Forces have stepped up vigil around the northeastern belt sharing borders with Sylhet following terror attacks in the region this week.&nbsp;

At least 10 persons have been killed in the last four days in Sylhet including a policeman and four terrorists. At least six persons were killed and 44 persons were injured in a bomb blast yards away from the militant den.

Bangladesh has observed a spike in terrorist attacks this month after a halt for nearly eight months since a cafe attack in Dhaka last July killed at least 20 persons.&nbsp;

The Bangladesh government has to stocktake the operation in Sylhet, derive lessons from it and address them better, said Shafqat Munir, research fellow at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies.

&quot;We need to reevaluate the threat assessment of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and all the other groups and ensure that we are adequately equipped to deal with what I would term as a constantly evolving threat,&quot; Munir told WION.

Bangladesh&#39;s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit India next month. A number of agreements in areas of defence and security will be on the cards among others. Security analysts say the latest terror attacks will influence the agreements Bangladesh and India would sign.&nbsp;

Indian media reports last week indicated that Bangladesh has warned India&#39;s home ministry about a possible infiltration of 2,000 members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkatul Jihad al Islami - Bangladesh. Authorities in Bangladesh, however, did not confirm the report.&nbsp;

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Six terrorists have been killed and 50 injured in the counter-terror operation that is still on at Sylhet in Bangladesh as terrorists have been holed up for nearly 72 hours reports WION&#39;s Saad Hammadi (WION)
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(WION)

The diffusion of IEDs planted in the building will call an end to the counter-terror operation. Bangladesh is on high alert

Four suspected terrorists have been killed at the end of the fourth day at a counter-terrorist operation codenamed "Operation Twilight" in the northeastern Sylhet in Bangladesh. The operation however, is still ongoing. The bodies of two suspected terrorists killed during the commando assault on Sunday have been handed over to the police. The bodies could not be identified yet, said Basudev Banik, deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police. "The two bodies inside the building still have IED vests put on. There may be more IEDs planted in the building, for which the operation has not been concluded," said Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Army. Whether there are more people in the building also cannot be confirmed, he told WION. The operation is likely to officially conclude tomorrow after the commando forces end their search throughout the building and the bomb disposal units finish diffusing the bombs, Banik told WION. India's Border Security Forces have stepped up vigil around the northeastern belt sharing borders with Sylhet following terror attacks in the region this week. At least 10 persons have been killed in the last four days in Sylhet including a policeman and four terrorists. At least six persons were killed and 44 persons were injured in a bomb blast yards away from the militant den. Bangladesh has observed a spike in terrorist attacks this month after a halt for nearly eight months since a cafe attack in Dhaka last July killed at least 20 persons. The Bangladesh government has to stocktake the operation in Sylhet, derive lessons from it and address them better, said Shafqat Munir, research fellow at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies. "We need to reevaluate the threat assessment of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and all the other groups and ensure that we are adequately equipped to deal with what I would term as a constantly evolving threat," Munir told WION. Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit India next month. A number of agreements in areas of defence and security will be on the cards among others. Security analysts say the latest terror attacks will influence the agreements Bangladesh and India would sign. Indian media reports last week indicated that Bangladesh has warned India's home ministry about a possible infiltration of 2,000 members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkatul Jihad al Islami - Bangladesh. Authorities in Bangladesh, however, did not confirm the report. Six terrorists have been killed and 50 injured in the counter-terror operation that is still on at Sylhet in Bangladesh as terrorists have been holed up for nearly 72 hours reports WION's Saad Hammadi (WION) × (WION)

Bangladesh on high alert as terrorist siege ends, 'Operation Twilight' to continue

Nearly 48 hours into a joint counter-terrorist operation in the northeastern Sylhet in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Army fears that the entire building where the terrorists have been staying has been planted with improvised explosive devices.

The building has 30 flats with 150 rooms. Snipers have spotted the terrorists moving between the floors in the building.

The terrorists have been exchanging fires and charging explosives.

Operation is still continuing till the filing of this report.

Twenty-eight families, comprising of 30 males, 27 females and 21 children, were rescued prior to launching an assault operation.&nbsp;

The army is making efforts to have the terrorists surrender to avert casualties and damage.

&quot;We wish to have them surrender alive and for that we are conducting the operation with full caution,&quot; said Lt Col Rashidul Hasan, director of ISPR, Bangladesh.

That way the explosives can be neutralised and there will be less casualties, he told WION.

The Counter Terrorist and Transnational Crime unit fear that Mynul Musa, one of the leading members of the Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh is among the terrorists in the building.

Dhaka has been rocked with two suicide bomb blasts in space of a week. On Friday a suicide bomber blew up himself at a police checkpost near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. No casualties were reported.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for both suicide bombings.

Major government establishments, key point installations, airport, prisons and passenger terminals and public places have been put on high alert. 
 
(WION)

 
&nbsp;

The Bangladesh Army fears that the entire building where the terrorists have been staying has been planted with improvised explosive devices

Nearly 48 hours into a joint counter-terrorist operation in the northeastern Sylhet in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Army fears that the entire building where the terrorists have been staying has been planted with improvised explosive devices. The building has 30 flats with 150 rooms. Snipers have spotted the terrorists moving between the floors in the building. The terrorists have been exchanging fires and charging explosives. Operation is still continuing till the filing of this report. Twenty-eight families, comprising of 30 males, 27 females and 21 children, were rescued prior to launching an assault operation. The army is making efforts to have the terrorists surrender to avert casualties and damage. "We wish to have them surrender alive and for that we are conducting the operation with full caution," said Lt Col Rashidul Hasan, director of ISPR, Bangladesh. That way the explosives can be neutralised and there will be less casualties, he told WION. The Counter Terrorist and Transnational Crime unit fear that Mynul Musa, one of the leading members of the Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh is among the terrorists in the building. Dhaka has been rocked with two suicide bomb blasts in space of a week. On Friday a suicide bomber blew up himself at a police checkpost near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. No casualties were reported. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for both suicide bombings. Major government establishments, key point installations, airport, prisons and passenger terminals and public places have been put on high alert. (WION)

Bangladesh Army battles Islamic terrorists holding building under siege in Sylhet, more than 70 rescued

As a deadly terror attack strikes London, the world discovers how lone wolves can go on a rampage. The authorities, however, remain clueless about methods to avert such incidents.

On March 17, a suicide bomber in Dhaka blew up himself at a site demarcated for Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) headquarters.

Such attacks are often called &quot;lone wolf&quot; attacks. Serious questions are being raised as to how these attackers are drifting so radically away from their societies to indulge in such insane acts of terrorism.

The attack on a cafe in Dhaka on July 2016 is another classic instance of how young men from affluent backgrounds get drawn into the paths of radicalism. At least three were from privileged backgrounds and one had studied in the reputed Monash University of Malaysia.

To quote Anna Erelle from her non-fiction book &quot;In the skin of a Jihadist&quot;, &quot;Recent cases of young people moving to the Middle East have often involved solitary radicalisation.&quot;

Erelle has written from her experience of interviewing radical youth&nbsp;below 20 until she had begun interacting with a jihadist in Syria who had firmer compassion in what he believed he was doing.

It is important to note that from 1980s onwards,&nbsp;generations&nbsp;are growing up in close association with&nbsp;cyberspace. For the members of these generations, self-development is happening through interactions in the cyber world and not through socialisation with real people. &nbsp;

The father of the assassin Meer Saameh Mubasheer had a hard time believing&nbsp;how his son, who was afraid of driving even a car on the streets of Dhaka, could kill people at the Dhaka cafe. Mubasheer had disappeared in February 2016 and returned in an avatar his parents could hardly recognise.

His father claimed that Mubasheer was not even religiously driven. He had not read the Quran, so any reference to his transformation on the path of Islam is feeble and was based on the influence of vested quarters.

Last week, the Islamic State released a posthumous video by Neaz Morshed Raja, a Bangladeshi who died in Tikrit in 2015. He appeals to the people of Bangladesh to wage &quot;lone wolf&quot;&nbsp;attacks against the infidels.&nbsp;

Two days into the release of the video, a suicide bomber trespassed into the premise of a security agency in Dhaka to blow up himself. The Islamic State&#39;s Amaq news agency claimed the attack.

This incident brings to the forefront how lone wolf attacks are so difficult to prevent. While some extremists may share their views publicly, there are many introverts like Mubasheer who may not have been as vocal. However, traits of extremism have&nbsp;been noticed in all kinds of individuals, both extroverts and introverts as well as among socialites and loners.

Only a day before&nbsp;the Westminster attack, authorities in US and UK imposed restrictions on carrying electronic devices on flights from Middle Eastern countries.

Electronics ban on aircraft and blanket restrictions on Muslims are examples of ethnocentrism: a religious community is being targeted which is already suffering from a crisis. This is likely to give radicals all the more reason&nbsp;to spread extremist sentiments among youths and mobilise them. It is important to remember that Islamist militancy has not even spared Muslim-majority countries like Bangladesh.

While it is important to counter violent extremism, several global strategies of the United States and United Kingdom will be responsible for the course that extremism would take.

Isolating communities is certainly not an answer. 
 
(WION)

'Lone wolf' terrorists feed off each other

As a deadly terror attack strikes London, the world discovers how lone wolves can go on a rampage. The authorities, however, remain clueless about methods to avert such incidents. On March 17, a suicide bomber in Dhaka blew up himself at a site demarcated for Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) headquarters. Such attacks are often called "lone wolf" attacks. Serious questions are being raised as to how these attackers are drifting so radically away from their societies to indulge in such insane acts of terrorism. The attack on a cafe in Dhaka on July 2016 is another classic instance of how young men from affluent backgrounds get drawn into the paths of radicalism. At least three were from privileged backgrounds and one had studied in the reputed Monash University of Malaysia. To quote Anna Erelle from her non-fiction book "In the skin of a Jihadist", "Recent cases of young people moving to the Middle East have often involved solitary radicalisation." Erelle has written from her experience of interviewing radical youth below 20 until she had begun interacting with a jihadist in Syria who had firmer compassion in what he believed he was doing. It is important to note that from 1980s onwards, generations are growing up in close association with cyberspace. For the members of these generations, self-development is happening through interactions in the cyber world and not through socialisation with real people. The father of the assassin Meer Saameh Mubasheer had a hard time believing how his son, who was afraid of driving even a car on the streets of Dhaka, could kill people at the Dhaka cafe. Mubasheer had disappeared in February 2016 and returned in an avatar his parents could hardly recognise. His father claimed that Mubasheer was not even religiously driven. He had not read the Quran, so any reference to his transformation on the path of Islam is feeble and was based on the influence of vested quarters. Last week, the Islamic State released a posthumous video by Neaz Morshed Raja, a Bangladeshi who died in Tikrit in 2015. He appeals to the people of Bangladesh to wage "lone wolf" attacks against the infidels. Two days into the release of the video, a suicide bomber trespassed into the premise of a security agency in Dhaka to blow up himself. The Islamic State's Amaq news agency claimed the attack. This incident brings to the forefront how lone wolf attacks are so difficult to prevent. While some extremists may share their views publicly, there are many introverts like Mubasheer who may not have been as vocal. However, traits of extremism have been noticed in all kinds of individuals, both extroverts and introverts as well as among socialites and loners. Only a day before the Westminster attack, authorities in US and UK imposed restrictions on carrying electronic devices on flights from Middle Eastern countries. Electronics ban on aircraft and blanket restrictions on Muslims are examples of ethnocentrism: a religious community is being targeted which is already suffering from a crisis. This is likely to give radicals all the more reason to spread extremist sentiments among youths and mobilise them. It is important to remember that Islamist militancy has not even spared Muslim-majority countries like Bangladesh. While it is important to counter violent extremism, several global strategies of the United States and United Kingdom will be responsible for the course that extremism would take. Isolating communities is certainly not an answer. (WION)

'Lone wolf' attackers not really alone

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav&#39;s assertion that he could align with Mayawati&#39;s BSP has created a political firestorm with the BJP declaring that the chief minister has already &quot;conceded defeat&quot;&nbsp;

Union minister Kiren Rijiju said, &quot;Counting se pehle hee haar maan liya (he has conceded defeat even before counting). What should I say on this?&quot;

Speaking to BBC radio Hindi yesterday Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had said he wanted to keep the BJP out in Uttar Pradesh for that he was ready to align with Samajwadi Party&#39;s long-time rival Mayawati, the chief of Bahujan Samaj Party.

<h3><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-assembly-elections-2017-exit-polls-bjp-has-advantage-in-3-states-13234">Also </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-assembly-elections-2017-exit-polls-bjp-has-advantage-in-3-states-13234">Read:</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-assembly-elections-2017-exit-polls-bjp-has-advantage-in-3-states-13234">&nbsp;India Assembly Elections 2017 Exit Polls: BJP has advantage in 3 states</a></h3>

&nbsp;

The seven-phase Uttar Pradesh elections ended on March 8, the results are due to be declared tomorrow. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-assembly-elections-2017-exit-polls-bjp-has-advantage-in-3-states-13234">Most exit polls have put the BJP ahead in Uttar Pradesh with the SP-Congress alliance </a>set to finish a distant second but Mayawati&#39;s BSP who is expected to finish third could end up as a &#39;kingmaker&#39; if either the BJP or the SP-Congress fail to get the required 202 seats&nbsp;in the 403 member House.

<h3><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/muslims-understand-majority-govt-can-be-formed-without-their-support-but-be-careful-about-splitting-up-13223">Also Read:&nbsp;&#39;Muslims understand majority govt can be formed without their support... but be careful about splitting UP&#39;</a></h3>

&nbsp;

(WION)

Two members of the security force challenged the suicide bomber and an explosion occurred as he tried to escape

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's assertion that he could align with Mayawati's BSP has created a political firestorm with the BJP declaring that the chief minister has already "conceded defeat" Union minister Kiren Rijiju said, "Counting se pehle hee haar maan liya (he has conceded defeat even before counting). What should I say on this?" Speaking to BBC radio Hindi yesterday Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had said he wanted to keep the BJP out in Uttar Pradesh for that he was ready to align with Samajwadi Party's long-time rival Mayawati, the chief of Bahujan Samaj Party. Also Read: India Assembly Elections 2017 Exit Polls: BJP has advantage in 3 states The seven-phase Uttar Pradesh elections ended on March 8, the results are due to be declared tomorrow. Most exit polls have put the BJP ahead in Uttar Pradesh with the SP-Congress alliance set to finish a distant second but Mayawati's BSP who is expected to finish third could end up as a 'kingmaker' if either the BJP or the SP-Congress fail to get the required 202 seats in the 403 member House. Also Read: 'Muslims understand majority govt can be formed without their support... but be careful about splitting UP' (WION)

Bangladesh: IS claims hand in suicide blast at anti-terror unit headquarters in Dhaka

A suicide bomb blast has been reported near the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Headquarters in Dhaka, security officials confirmed to WION.

The attack took place at a RAB camp demarcated for the headquarters of the elite force.

The bomber died in the explosion. The specialised Counter Terrorist and Transnational Crime unit is yet to find access in the perimeter, a member of the unit confirmed to WION.

The Rapid Action Battalion has cordoned the area till the filing of this report.

The blast takes place a day after the police killed four suspected militants in a daylong operation in Sitakundu of Chittagong.

More details to follow.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The blast took place a day after the police killed four suspected militants in a daylong operation in Sitakundu of Chittagong

A suicide bomb blast has been reported near the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Headquarters in Dhaka, security officials confirmed to WION. The attack took place at a RAB camp demarcated for the headquarters of the elite force. The bomber died in the explosion. The specialised Counter Terrorist and Transnational Crime unit is yet to find access in the perimeter, a member of the unit confirmed to WION. The Rapid Action Battalion has cordoned the area till the filing of this report. The blast takes place a day after the police killed four suspected militants in a daylong operation in Sitakundu of Chittagong. More details to follow. (WION)

Suicide blast near Bangladesh anti-terror headquarters

International Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talks to WION on elections, bilateral trade, IS and more

WION Exclusive: Bangladesh not aligned to India or China, says Gowher Rizvi

Bangladesh has banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam today, a spokesperson of the country&#39;s home affairs ministry confirmed this to WION.

The outfit is an affiliate of the al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and is responsible for killing LGBT activist Xulhaz Mannan and blogger Nazimuddin Samad in Dhaka last April among others. 
&nbsp; 
The banning of the outfit, which has been in the radar of Bangladeshi investigators, means that the government will show no tolerance to the group, explained Shafqat Munir, research fellow at Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies.&nbsp;

&quot;Proscription takes the effort to a different level and also blemishes the group for its activities,&quot; he told WION.

This is the seventh such organisation that the internal affairs ministry has banned. Among the others include Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, Ansar Bangla Team and Hizbut Tahrir. 
&nbsp; 
Bangladesh home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal denied the existence of the al Qaida or the Islamic State in the country. The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime in Bangladesh has also said that they have not found any involvement of the global terrorist outfits in any of the militant attacks.

At least 47 people have been murdered since 2013. Almost all militant attacks including the cafe attack last July in Dhaka were claimed either by the Islamic State (IS) or the AQIS.&nbsp;

CTTC chief Monirul Islam told WION earlier that most of the attacks claimed by the IS were carried out by members of the Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh while the attacks claimed by the AQIS were perpetrated by the Ansar Al Islam, which was formerly known as Ansar Bangla Team.

&quot;It is an extremely lethal group and a major national security challenge. We have to be constantly on guard regarding their activities,&quot; said Munir, who also heads Bangladesh Centre for Terrorism Research.&nbsp;

The home ministry has offered $25,000 (BDT 20,00,000) bounty on Syed Ziaul Haque, who is the chief of Ansar Al Islam. Haque is also a former defence personnel sacked from the army. 
&nbsp; 
Bangladesh has been rattled by a spate of militant attacks since February 2013 following the youth movement titled Ganajagaran Mancha, which demanded capital punishment for all war collaborators through a war tribunal deemed controversial by rights groups, civil society and legal experts.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The militant attacks were first waged on bloggers identifying themselves as atheists but later on spread out to academicians, publishers, writers, and people belonging to the religious minority. &nbsp;

(WION)

The affiliate of the al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent is responsible for killing an LGBT activist and atheist bloggers among others

Bangladesh has banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam today, a spokesperson of the country's home affairs ministry confirmed this to WION. The outfit is an affiliate of the al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and is responsible for killing LGBT activist Xulhaz Mannan and blogger Nazimuddin Samad in Dhaka last April among others. The banning of the outfit, which has been in the radar of Bangladeshi investigators, means that the government will show no tolerance to the group, explained Shafqat Munir, research fellow at Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies. "Proscription takes the effort to a different level and also blemishes the group for its activities," he told WION. This is the seventh such organisation that the internal affairs ministry has banned. Among the others include Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, Ansar Bangla Team and Hizbut Tahrir. Bangladesh home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal denied the existence of the al Qaida or the Islamic State in the country. The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime in Bangladesh has also said that they have not found any involvement of the global terrorist outfits in any of the militant attacks. At least 47 people have been murdered since 2013. Almost all militant attacks including the cafe attack last July in Dhaka were claimed either by the Islamic State (IS) or the AQIS. CTTC chief Monirul Islam told WION earlier that most of the attacks claimed by the IS were carried out by members of the Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh while the attacks claimed by the AQIS were perpetrated by the Ansar Al Islam, which was formerly known as Ansar Bangla Team. "It is an extremely lethal group and a major national security challenge. We have to be constantly on guard regarding their activities," said Munir, who also heads Bangladesh Centre for Terrorism Research. The home ministry has offered $25,000 (BDT 20,00,000) bounty on Syed Ziaul Haque, who is the chief of Ansar Al Islam. Haque is also a former defence personnel sacked from the army. Bangladesh has been rattled by a spate of militant attacks since February 2013 following the youth movement titled Ganajagaran Mancha, which demanded capital punishment for all war collaborators through a war tribunal deemed controversial by rights groups, civil society and legal experts. The militant attacks were first waged on bloggers identifying themselves as atheists but later on spread out to academicians, publishers, writers, and people belonging to the religious minority. (WION)

Bangladesh bans al Qaida affiliate Ansar Al Islam

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Saad Hammadi

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