New counter terrorism unit on card

Government is set to establish a new counter terrorism bureau for combating extremism and better implementing the country’s existing anti-terrorism law, which stipulates death sentence or life imprisonment for such offences.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also in-charge of Home Ministry, has given final nod to form the counter terrorism agency following the Sunday’s deadly attack by the operatives of Jaamatul Mujaheedin Bangladesh [JMB] at Trishal in Mymensingh.
“A counter terrorism bureau will be formed as soon as possible to uproot militancy from Bangladesh. The Prime Minister has already okayed the project proposal and given her final nod to form the counter terrorism agency, ” Md Manirul Islam, Joint Commissioner, Detective and Criminal Intelligence Division, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said yesterday.
Although, the proposal of forming counter terrorism unit had been sent by the Police Headquarters more than two years ago, it was kept in the deep fridge as the home ministry did not take any initiative due to unknown reasons, sources said.
In this situation, the Rapid Action Battalion [RAB], Criminal Investigation Department [CID] and police stations have been involved in counter terrorism activities, although they are overburdened with all criminal offences, including violent extremism. Officials told The New Nation yesterday that the proposed new unit will be known as the National Police Bureau of Counter Terrorism. The bureau, headed by an additional inspector general of police, will supervise the activities of convict and fugitive militants. The bureau will have its own inquiry team to investigate terrorism cases and collect data for research on terrorist activities. Besides, it would lead the government’s counter terrorism plans through preventive measures for countering terrorism, extremism and militancy.
Meanwhile, the lack of proper training to handle the violent militants has been appeared as the main reason behind the Trishal incident where the JMB men talked with their contacts from the prison van using the cell-phone of an on-duty policeman. The telephone conversation of the JMB operatives became hot issue even in the yesterday’s cabinet meeting in presence of the Prime Minister.
“There is lack of follow-up about the convicted and jailed militants. Even there is nobody to supervise on what ground the militants are getting bail or being freed. Several militants were found getting bail although they were sentenced in other cases,” said the DMP joint commissioner.
“So, we need long-term follow-up about terrorists’ acts. The proposed counter terrorism bureau will do that work. At the same time, it will bring all the jailed militants under its close surveillance with a view to preventing Trishal-like incident in the future,” he added. Last year, the government in partnership with the US Embassy in Dhaka had planned to offer the Anti-terrorism Assistance training programme to the security personnel throughout the year. In this backdrop, the US government through its Anti-terrorism Assistance [ATA] Programme and the US Embassy’s Regional Security Office conducted a nine-day training programme for Bangladeshi security officials on Tactical Management of Special Events in May 2013.
Offered by the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and taught by the US instructors, the training took place at the Police Staff College in Dhaka where some members of Special Security Force and Bangladesh Police got training.