Some Bangladeshis have left for Afghanistan to join the war as part of the Taliban, says Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam.
“Recently, the Taliban has urged people to join the war in Afghanistan and some people, responding to their call, have left home,” the DMP chief said while talking to reporters on Saturday after inspecting the overall security measures at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32, on the occasion of the 46th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and national mourning day on Sunday.
“It is our guess that some people from Bangladesh have been caught in India, and some are trying to reach Afghanistan on foot in various ways,” he added.
“Now cyber technology has captured the world and militants are recruiting through it. In the cyber world, not only us, but various organizations are monitoring their activities and informing us whenever anything suspicious is happening.”
The DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit continues to monitor the activities of militants in the cyber world through cyber patrolling, he said.
“Though there’s no security threat ahead of August 15, we can’t rule out any possibility. The militants want to draw the attention of the international media by carrying out attacks on this day.
“However, we are ready to prevent any kind of attack with the highest of efforts,” he added.
About the security measures taken for National Mourning Day on Sunday, DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul said every person who came to pay homage to Bangabandhu at his portrait at Dhanmondi 32 would be checked through the archway and the check post to ensure security while entering the venue.
“No one will be allowed to enter the venue as long as the prime minister is at the venue. Bangabandhu Museum and Banani graveyard will be brought under CCTV coverage and we will sweep these two venues with the DMP's dog squad,” the commissioner said.
The DMP commissioner said people would have to follow health guidelines while entering Dhanmondi Road No 32 to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Sunday.
On Thursday, a CTTC unit of DMP arrested three members of the banned militant outfit Neo JMB, including its military wing chief as well as key bomb expert Md Jahid Hasan alias Raju alias Ismail Hasan alias Furkan.
He is a graduate of the chemistry department of Jahangirnagar University.
During initial interrogation, Hasan acknowledged that he had been involved in attacks on police and planting bombs in police boxes, DMP Additional Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman said.
