Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Signs are abundant that Bangladesh is facing a resurfaced militancy which in the last few months targeted different religious groups, killed foreigners and clashed with law enforcers.
The country’s law enforcers stormed several hideouts, nabbed over a dozen militants and seized huge bombs and bomb making materials, reports The Hindu.
The country recently saw a suicide blast at an Ahmadiyya mosque in northern Rajshahi.
The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the US-based SITE Intelligence Group. The attacker died in the blast that killed one and injured at least 10.
Although the government denies organisational presence of the IS in Bangladesh, these militants have also claimed the shooting of three foreigners, two of whom died, and the killing of a Sufi Muslim shrine chief in November.
Threats of militancy are on the rise as Bangladesh sees attacks on an array of targets with the use of new technology, said a security expert, claiming that the suicide bombing had brought about a new dimension to militancy.
Incidents since November suggest that religious minority groups are particularly being targeted.
While vandalism of Hindu temples was not new, the militants now target Shia Muslims, Christian priests and even secular Muslim religious leaders.
They also attacked policemen.
Last month, a military police came under attack in broad daylight in Dhaka, followed by an attack on two mosques in a highly secured naval base in Chittagong.
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