Taliban’s recapture of Afghanistan might cause new wave of militancy in Bangladesh: DMP chief
Taliban's recapture of Afghanistan might cause a new wave of militancy in Bangladesh and other sub-continent countries, fears Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shafiqul Islam.
While speaking to the media on Monday, he said resurgence of militancy in Bangladesh is always connected with major international events and recent development in Afghanistan might encourage some youths in Bangladesh to get involved in militancy.
The DMP chief also said that coordinated efforts made by the police and other state agencies are essential to prevent resurgence of militancy in Bangladesh.
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Shafiqul stressed that guardians of youths, university teachers, and authorities must have close monitoring on youths and inform the police if anyone remains missing.
"Guardians must immediately inform the police in case their children go missing," said the police officer.
Earlier on Saturday, the DMP chief said some Bangladeshis had already migrated towards Afghanistan to respond to the call from the Taliban to join the on-going fighting.
"Few of them have been arrested in India while few others are now trying to reach Afghanistan on foot," he said, adding, "Cyber monitoring is being continued and all agencies are informing whenever they find anything suspicious. All intelligence agencies are working actively."
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has tightened their security arrangement at the capital's diplomatic zone days before the seizure of Kabul by the Taliban on Sunday.
"Not only for Afghanistan mission in Dhaka but extra measures have also been taken in the diplomatic area days before the incident," said Ashraful Islam, deputy commissioner at the diplomatic security division.
He said no additional support was sought by Afghan diplomats in Dhaka thus far.
"We are ready to extend support prescribed by our foreign ministry on this issue," he told the media.
A handful of Afghanistan diplomats are currently residing in Dhaka.
Bangladesh closed down its Embassy in Kabul following the Russian invasion in Afghanistan.
Later, the authorities decided to reopen the embassy, but it had not been possible to do so because of the security concerns.
The Bangladesh ambassador to Uzbekistan is presently concurrently accredited to Afghanistan.
'As soon as the situation becomes conducive, we would like to reopen the embassy,' said the foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen in a webinar on 9 August.
