Bangladesh has capacity to patrol land, maritime borders: US report

Bangladesh possesses the capacity to patrol land and maritime borders and improved cargo and passenger airport screening with updated equipment, procedures and increased staff.

However, the airline security is not as strong, according to the latest report released by the US on Tuesday.

Bangladesh has initiated e-passports for all and shared information with INTERPOL, but has no dedicated terrorist watchlist, according to the report.

A US “Alert List” project is under government consideration.

Bangladesh does not systematically use API/PNR passenger information to screen travelers before flights arrive, the report claimed.

In 2019, the ATT sentenced to death seven terrorists for their roles in the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack. The Bangladesh Supreme Court still has not ruled on their appeal.

The Department of State issued the 2021 Country Reports on Terrorism (CRT), which provide a detailed look at the counterterrorism environment in that year.

2021 Terrorist Incidents: Terrorist incidents in 2021 included the following:

On May 17, police detected a remote-controlled homemade explosive device placed in front of a police box in the city of Narayanganj, US-trained bomb disposal officers neutralized the IED with a US-funded remote-controlled robot.

The Counterterrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTCU) suspected ISIS-aligned Neo-Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB).

On July 11, CTTC police in Narayanganj raided a Neo-JMB militants’ den, recovering IEDs, bomb making materials, weapons, ammunition, and Neo-JMB plans for future attacks.

On September 16, Delwar Hossain hurled a petrol bomb in a lone-wolf attack in the Gulshan Diplomatic Zone of Dhaka at what he believed was a vehicle associated with the US Embassy and was immediately arrested.

Police believed Hossain was radicalized to violence online. No injuries were reported.

Each year, the CRT provides insight on important issues in the fight against terrorism and helps the United States make informed decisions about policies, programs, and resource allocations to build counterterrorism capacity and resilience around the globe.