On the ninth anniversary of the deadly Holey Artisan attack, conflicting statements by top police officials have raised questions about Bangladesh’s current militancy threat. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali declared there are “no militants” in Bangladesh now, saying the focus should be on kidnapping prevention instead. However, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam contradicted him the same day, stating militants are still present, though less active, and confirmed that those released on bail remain under surveillance.
This comes as Malaysian authorities arrested 36 Bangladeshi expatriates between April and June for alleged links to Islamic State (IS), with reports stating they had formed recruitment cells within their community. Security experts questioned how such arrests abroad align with Bangladesh’s domestic claims of being militancy-free. Air Commodore (Retd.) Ishfaq Elahi Chowdhury warned that “boastful statements” could backfire, referencing pre-Holey Artisan claims in 2016 that militants had been eradicated – only for the horrific attack to follow days later.
Bangladesh has improved slightly in the Global Terrorism Index, moving from 32nd to 35th globally, but experts caution against complacency, noting continued extremist online propaganda and the recent jail escapes of convicted militants following last year’s mass uprising. Approximately 700 fugitives remain at large, including at least 70 dangerous militants and top terrorists.
The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit acknowledged online radicalisation remains a concern, while human rights activists like Nur Khan Liton warned that inadequate monitoring of released militants could create future dangers. Meanwhile, the government’s symbolic ceremonies for Holey Artisan victims were notably absent this year, and the traditional international tributes did not occur.
In December 2023, the High Court commuted the death sentences of seven militants convicted for the Holey Artisan massacre to life imprisonment. Critics argue such legal leniency, combined with police administrative vacancies and reduced oversight, risks undermining long-term national security, despite current stability.
Retired Justice Mainul Islam emphasised that terrorism remains a global threat, stating, “When anti-terror campaigns are misused politically, they destroy public trust and institutional integrity,” while analysts reiterated that the root causes and ideological appeal of militancy must not be ignored under any regime.
