Bangladesh police put on alert after second Daesh-claimed blast

Bangladesh launched a crackdown on extremism after attacks in July 2016, when Daesh-inspired militants stormed a Dhaka cafe killing 22 people, including 18 foreigners. (File/Reuters)

• The Sunday night blast in Dhaka’s Malibagh neighborhood left two people injured, including a female officer
• An official said it was a powerful bomb, and that it had been planted in a police pick-up van

DHAKA: Bangladesh authorities have put the police force on nationwide alert after the Daesh group claimed responsibility for a second explosion targetting security forces in less than a month.
The Sunday night blast in Dhaka’s Malibagh neighborhood, just outside the headquarters of the police’s Special Branch, left two people injured, including a female officer.
Dhaka Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia told reporters Monday it was a powerful bomb, and that it had been planted in a police pick-up van.
Daesh claimed responsibility, with its propaganda wing Amaq saying the Daesh militants targeted the police vehicle with an “explosive device,” destroying the vehicle and wounding three personnel on board.
Bangladesh police rejected the claim, saying the explosion was still being investigated.
“No connection of IS has been found in the incident,” national police spokesman Sohel Rana said.
He said following the blast “all units of Bangladesh police have been asked to take necessary cautionary measures.”
Last month, Daesh militants said they “detonated an explosive device” aimed at a group of police, the SITE Intelligence Group reported. It was the first Daesh-claimed attack in Bangladesh in more than two years.
According to the US-based SITE, which monitors militant activity, the brief Daesh statement said that blast wounded three police on a road to Dhaka’s Gulistan market.
Daesh also said it detonated explosives in the northeastern city of Sylhet in March 2017.
Police said six people died in those blasts as commandos stormed an militant hideout. The government at the time rejected Daesh’s claim and blamed a banned homegrown organization.
Bangladesh launched a crackdown on extremism after attacks in July 2016, when Daesh-inspired militants stormed a Dhaka cafe killing 22 people, including 18 foreigners.
Since then, security forces have staged nationwide raids in which, they say, nearly 100 members of two extremist groups have been killed. Hundreds of suspects have been detained.
The South Asian nation has also boosted security since the April 21 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, which were carried out by militants affiliated to Daesh.