Security beefed up in Gulshan-Baridhara after embassy threat reports

Law enforcement agencies have stepped up security in the diplomatic zones of Gulshan and Baridhara in the capital after receiving reports of email threats to several foreign embassies in Dhaka.

Abu Khair, deputy commissioner of the Diplomatic Security Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed the information on Sunday.

He said threatening emails were sent to the embassies of China and Russia, though these are initially believed to be "fake" and "fraudulent" messages.

Abu Khair said the foreign embassies informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the matter as per rules, following which the ministry informed police headquarters and the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Surveillance has since been increased in the diplomatic areas alongside regular security arrangements.

The DMP official said the embassies had not formally informed police directly, but existing security measures were further strengthened after the matter came to light. Law enforcement agencies do not initially see any major security risk.

He also said no general diary (GD) or written complaint has been filed with the relevant police station over the incident so far.

Earlier, after learning of the threats, CTTC officials held a meeting with representatives of the concerned embassies. A CTTC official said the embassies were spoken to about the matter on Thursday and were told there was nothing in the emailed messages to be alarmed about.

Mohammad Shamsul Haque, additional commissioner of CTTC, said their officials visited the concerned embassies after learning of the incident, and an investigation is underway.

Police sources say similar threatening emails were sent to multiple foreign embassies in Bangladesh toward the end of last week. It is initially suspected that an individual or group may have sent these messages with the intent of creating panic or harassment.

However, the source of the threatening emails and who is behind them has not yet been confirmed. Law enforcement agencies are investigating the matter.

Daud Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station, said no embassy has so far filed a written complaint with his station regarding the threats.