Keeping Eid ul Azha and the coming month of August in focus, a terror alert has been issued in the capital and across the country.
Intelligence agencies believe that during Eid, there may be target killings carried out by militants.
However, police officials say that this is routine work.
There is no need for panic; militants do not have the strength to carry out an attack now, the police believe.
Additional DIG (intelligence and special affairs), Md. Moniruzzaman, told Bangla Tribune: “we do not have any report of possible militant attack but always remain alert.”
Intelligence agencies however said, the special warning comes on the basis of past incidents when the month of August was tainted several times: grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina on 21 August, 2004, which killed 24 people, JMB’s countrywide bomb explosion in 63 districts on 17 August, 2005, and a planned attack by militants during 15 August national day of mourning, which was later foiled.
This year, Eid ul Azha will be observed either on 21 or 22 August and keeping the religious festival in focus, law enforcers are maintaining extra caution.
An official of the Counter Terrorism Unit, says: “of the three militant bodies in the country, New JMB is cornered with no capability of carrying out a new attack.”
But the Old JMB, led by fugitive Salahuddin Salehin and Mizanur Rahman, is trying to make a comeback.
It’s believed that to raise funds, they carried out hijackings and robbery in Dhaka and, in the northern part of the country.
Old JMB members also killed a liberal writer/published, Shahjahan Bachchu, on 11 June in Munshiganj.
Meanwhile, law enforcers are also worried about expelled army major, Ziaul Huq, a follower of Al Qiada affiliate, Ansar al Islam.
A few close aides of Ziaul Huq, arrested by the police, have revealed that instead of carrying out new attacks the objective is to form a strong organizational base.
Law enforcers say: “we have managed to control militancy but haven’t been able to uproot it; therefore, we want to be alert at all times.”
There’s no reason for the public to feel any panic, they assured.