Militancy under control, traces remain: DMP commissioner

On the seventh anniversary of the gruesome Holey Artisan Bakery attack, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq said militancy in the country is now under control, but latent traces of it still remain.

He made the remarks after placing floral wreaths at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan on Saturday morning.

Replying to questions from journalists, the commissioner said, 'JMD, neo-JMB militants have been all but eradicated. But latent traces of them may still remain."

He said some people made efforts to build new militant teams, but police and RAB have arrested many of them.

Meanwhile, delegates from consulates of the US, India, Italy, and other countries also paid rich tributes to the deceased.

On the night of July 1, 2016, five armed men stormed the bakery, frequented mostly by foreigners and took the diners there as hostage. At one stage they started killing the hostages one by one. Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the government of Bangladesh vehemently denied any presence of the organisation in the country.

The militant group killed 22 people including 18 foreigners, two Bangladeshis and two policemen.

Nine Italians, seven Japanese one Indian and one Bangladesh-born US citizen were among 18 foreign citizens killed in the attack.

Bangladesh authorities responded with a brutal crackdown on the militants after the gruesome attack.

On November 27, 2019, a special anti-terrorism tribunal sentenced seven people to death for their involvement in the attack. One was acquitted.

/KN/