‘Bangladesh have muggers, not militants’

On the ninth anniversary of the deadly Holey Artisan Bakery attack, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali stirred controversy by claiming there are no militants in Bangladesh, describing the country’s security threats as petty street crime instead.

“There are no militants in Bangladesh. What we have are muggers,” the commissioner said when questioned about current counterterrorism efforts.

The 2016 attack, one of the deadliest terrorist acts in Bangladesh, saw five armed assailants kill 20 hostages — including 17 foreigners — and two police officers in Dhaka’s diplomatic Gulshan area. Although the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility, authorities attributed the assault to the local militant group Neo-Jama`atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB).

Commissioner Sajjat Ali suggested that previous governments exaggerated the militant threat to justify harsh counterterrorism operations. “They staged jihadist dramas to kill young people,” he said, hinting at extrajudicial actions during past crackdowns.

When asked if the Holey Artisan attack itself was staged, the commissioner replied cautiously: “I don’t know about that. But there are no militants in Bangladesh. People steal because of poverty.”

Traditional commemorations this year, including floral tributes at the Deepto Shopoth monument for fallen police, were absent, with authorities blaming a lack of embassy participation.

Since the 2016 attack, Bangladesh has created specialized counterterrorism units like the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. However, Sajjat Ali said these units are now redirected to focus on street crime. “They’ve been told there are no militants to catch. Go catch the muggers — those are our militants now,” he remarked.

His comments come amid investigations into enforced disappearances, with a recent inquiry accusing previous governments of exploiting counterterrorism to target political opponents.

Still, retired Justice Moinul Islam, head of the inquiry commission, stressed that terrorism remains a real threat in Bangladesh. “Counterterror efforts must be honest and respect human rights and the rule of law,” he said.

The commissioner’s remarks signal a shift in the official narrative on militancy, raising questions about Bangladesh’s current approach to extremism.