No possibility of terror attack in country: CTTC Chief

Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Md Monirul Islam today said there is no possibility of terrorist attacks in the country though Bangladesh is not out of the risks of terror attacks in view of the global context.

“Terror groups have no ability to carry out any such attack, as the law enforcement agencies destroyed their networks. However, we are on high alert,” he told journalists at his office following deporting of 11 Bangladeshi nationals by Sri Lanka yesterday, reports BSS.

The Sri Lankan authority sent back them in wake of the April 21 blasts, who were working at a factory owned by Inshaf Ibrahim, one of the main suspects involved in the Shangri-La hotel bombing in Colombo.

Monirul, also Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said the law enforcers have been remaining vigilant to thwart any such untoward incident in the country, though there is no information regarding preparations of any groups for carrying out such attack.

As per the government’s zero tolerance strategy against militancy, he said the law enforcement agencies destroyed their networks.

After Sri Lankan authorities sealed off the copper factory, the workers including the 11 Bangladeshis were sent back to their respective countries, Monirul Islam said.

He said they are being interrogated, as they had no work permit and were staying in the country illegally. The workers went Sri Lanka with tourist visas.

“They could not give any information in connection with the attacks in Sri Lanka, and even about their factory owner Inshaf Ibrahim as they were low level workers and had no interaction with their owner. All of them, mostly from Tangail, were involved in a low-profile job at the copper factory,” the CTTC chief said.

The workers landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 11:30am yesterday, he said.

Responding to a query whether they have any criminal records, the CTTC chief said, “We did not get any information in this regard but we are scrutinizing their profiles.”

They went to Sri Lanka for the sake of their livelihood, he added.