Police fear extremist attacks on candidates’ electioneering

Police have raised concerns over possible attacks by extremist groups on candidates' election campaigns ahead of the 13th national election, prompting tightened security measures and increased surveillance.

The concerns were raised during a virtual coordination meeting held this afternoon (15 January), chaired by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam and attended by senior officials from the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit.

Speaking to The Business Standard, IGP Baharul said they are now treating the threat seriously. "We had no concrete information earlier, but after learning about the potential risk, we are considering it a real threat. We will take all necessary steps to prevent it."

He also said that coordination among ATU, RAB and CTTC aims to ensure a strong and comprehensive security framework for the election.

The meeting focused on ensuring a secure environment for election activities and preventing violence during the campaign.

According to officials who attended the meeting, intelligence reports suggest that several election-opposing extremist groups are actively mobilising against the democratic process.

Members of the outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) are reportedly attempting to regroup under a new banner known as 'ISI,' while other extremist outfits continue rejecting elections and advocating for a Khilafat-based system of governance.

Police officials said these groups are conducting anti-election propaganda both online and offline and may target candidates' campaign activities, which are scheduled to begin from 22 January.

Taking the threat seriously, the ATU has been assigned primary responsibility for assessing threats and taking preventive actions, while all police units have been instructed to remain alert.

Social media monitoring is also being intensified to track extremist narratives and potential mobilisation efforts.

Regarding the existence of the extremist groups in the country, police officials said they do not believe extremist groups are no longer exist. 

Referring to a powerful explosion at a madrasa in Keraniganj on 26 December, police said they arrested six individuals, including the institution's director Al Amin, and recovered a large cache of bomb-making materials in this regard.

Investigators said the madrasa director had been manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) before the blast.

Meanwhile, police headquarters has decided to deploy body-worn cameras at 24,000 high-risk polling centres nationwide to deter violence and ensure accountability.

Officials said procurement of half of the required cameras and supporting equipment has already been completed.