Threat emails to embassies work of 'fake group', police say as probe continues

The Detective Branch (DB) of police suspects the email threats and extortion demands sent to several embassies in Dhaka were made by a "fake group", with the perpetrators possibly seeking to tarnish the country's image and embarrass the government.

No one has been arrested in connection with the incident, but police are investigating the matter and working to identify those responsible, said DB chief Additional Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam at a briefing in Dhaka today (23 August).

Responding to a question about the threats, Shafiqul said the group was operating online and appeared to be fake.

"This group is operating through the internet. This is a fake group. We brought in three to four individuals associated with the bKash numbers provided in the emails for questioning. But they know nothing. They are completely innocent. They do not know anything about this matter," he said.

He said emails had been sent to three or four embassies as well as several government offices.

Asked about the motive behind the threats, Shafiqul said police suspected they could have stemmed from past enmity or been intended to tarnish the country's image.

"It might have been done to embarrass the government," he said.

Asked whether anyone had been arrested, the DB chief said police were working to identify those involved.

"We are working on it. Whenever any incident occurs, we treat it with importance. We are optimistic that we will uncover this. We will bring those involved under the law," he said.

Meanwhile, a DB source said the emails had been sent to the embassies of China, Pakistan and Turkey.