Report claims recent arrests and alleged links to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan have reignited fears of extremist activity in Bangladesh….reports Asian Lite News
Fresh concerns over the resurgence of militancy have surfaced in Bangladesh following a series of recent arrests and intelligence developments that have reignited debate over extremist activity in the country, according to a report published on Monday.
Citing multiple sources, leading Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported that nearly 20 individuals, including officers and personnel linked to the Bangladesh Air Force, were detained over the past week on suspicion of having connections with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, one of the region’s most feared militant outfits.
The report stated that those detained included two officers, several warrant officers and airmen, along with more than 10 civilians. The alleged links to the militant organisation have raised alarm within the country’s security establishment.
When approached for comment, Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury, Director of the Inter Services Public Relations wing of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, declined to provide details on the matter.
“We are not making any comments in this regard. If necessary, we will inform you later,” he was quoted as saying by the report.
According to the report, investigations intensified after a warrant officer from the Bangladesh Air Force, who had reportedly gone missing from a base in Chittagong, was allegedly traced to a hideout linked to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. The discovery reportedly triggered a wider internal probe into possible extremist connections within the force.
An official familiar with the developments claimed that Pakistani authorities had informed their Bangladeshi counterparts about suspected involvement of Bangladeshi personnel with the militant group operating in Pakistan.
The report further noted that law enforcement agencies have identified several factors behind the renewed militancy concerns in Bangladesh. Among them was the escape of prisoners from Kashimpur High Security Prison during the political unrest that followed the fall of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government on August 5, 2024. Many of the escapees had reportedly been jailed under anti terrorism laws.
Police data cited in the report showed that 202 inmates escaped during the prison break, with 133 still unaccounted for by December 2025.
Officials from the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police reportedly expressed frustration over the lack of clear directives regarding escaped suspects accused of militant activities.
The report also suggested that a softer approach towards extremist elements during the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, combined with reduced counterterrorism operations, may have contributed to the renewed rise of militancy concerns in the country.
