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New Delhi must be with Dhaka

The involvement of well-groomed Bangladeshi youth from elite families has demolished the existing perceptions of poor being used as fodder by the Jihadists in the war against their perceived enemies.

While perpetrators of mayhem at the restaurant in Gulshan neighbourhood of Dhaka have been identified as well-heeled, so have been those in the video released by the Islamic State (IS). A day after three Bangladeshi youths appeared in an IS video threatening more attacks, at least two have been identified — a dentist married to a model, and an aspiring singer whose father was once the Election Commissioner of the country.

The third youth in the video with his face covered is an MBA student, according to local media. The Jihadist dentist identified as Arafat “Tushar” al-Azad is married to fellow dentist and model Naila Nayem. The second person to be identified is Tahmid Rahman Shafi, son of Shafiur Rahman who was Election Commissioner from 2000 to 2005. Rahman, who also served as Secretary in the Home and Public Administration Ministries, died in 2014.

Given the penetration of the terror mentors in Bangladesh elite, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka has already issued an advisory which tells Indian nationals to avoid walks early in the mornings and after sunset beside avoiding secluded parks and places any time of day. It also cautions against going to deserted or overcrowded places, more so at odd hours.

The advisory calls upon Indians to inform the police about their maid servant, driver and domestic help before employing them. These developments indicate towards an environment of fear and distrust having gripped the neighbouring nation. Trust deficit has risen very high and New Delhi must help Dhaka to overcome one of the biggest crises it’s facing since Independence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a visit to Africa, has said that terrorism is the gravest threat to the world, equally impacting India and other nations. New Delhi has done well to decide that a special team of India's elite counter-terrorism force - National Security Guard (NSG) will travel to Dhaka to assist the local investigators in probing the terror attacks. The team with experts in post-blast analysis and counter-terror operations on board will visit the site of the siege attack last week and the site of the Eid prayer blast in Kishoreganj.

The Sheikh Hasina Wajed government in Dhaka is on the same page as New Delhi as far as countering terrorism goes. Being a small and a Muslim majority country, Bangladesh has a very challenging task in countering the Jihadists. New Delhi since the time of neighbour’s struggle for freedom has always risen to hold the hands of Dhaka and is expected to walk an extra mile this time around as well to help Awami Party government to overcome the crisis.
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