Fears attack by JMB militants
KOLKATA: Wary of possible bomb attacks or sniper fire by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants, the Bangladesh deputy high commission in Kolkata has asked for tighter security.
Deputy high commissioner Zokey Ahad says he has written to Kolkata Police commissioner Surajit Kar Purkayastha twice in the past few months, but in vain. "There is no response from police yet," Ahad told TOI on Tuesday.
Ahad came to Kolkata just after the Khagragarh blasts of October 2014 blew the lid off a JMB terror module in India. JMB cadres were allegedly making IEDs here to destabilize Bangladesh.
Ahad said, "A number of houses have been constructed close to the deputy high commission. Some of these are empty. No one knows who is using them. Since I stay in this complex, I too feel unsafe and wrote to the CP." He personally monitors CCTV footage.
Bangladeshi diplomats are also anxious as AJC Bose Road-Park Circus flyover is located next to their building. Anyone could shoot from the flyover or hurl something into the compound just 20 feet away, they say.
During the construction of the flyover, then deputy high commissioner Touhid Hossain had sent his objection to the Bengal government after which an eight-foot-high wall was erected on the flyover as a sort of shield. Still, the Bangladeshi diplomats feel that they are soft targets. The wall is inadequate for their security and too many houses have come up near the compound, they say.
The road in front of compound is closed for construction, which has increased traffic on other surrounding roads. This is being considered a "major threat". Traffic movement should be restricted as policemen are posted only at the front gates and not at the rear of the compound, said a diplomat.
The reason for Zokey's worry is that JMB cadres are well trained in Molotov cocktail attacks and had killed over 800 people in Bangladesh between January and March.
A Nabanna official said that the state government is well aware of the security needs of the Bangladeshi diplomats and security arrangements are being made accordingly. Zokey was given adequate security during his recent visit to Cooch Behar, said an official.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 360108.cms