Bangladesh Detains 900 In Crackdown Following Hacking Deaths

June 11, 2016

Bangladesh police say they have detained about 900 people as part of a crackdown on militants following a series of deadly attacks.

Police launched the weeklong campaign on June 10, saying they were focused on arresting Islamist militants.

About 40 people, including secular bloggers, academics, and members of religious minorities, have been killed in attacks in recent years.

The latest was a Hindu monastery worker who was hacked to death in Pabna district on June 10.

Reports said Nityaranjan Pande, who was in his 60s, died on the spot after several people attacked him.

The police drive is sweeping up various types, not just terrorism suspects.

Police are using lists of wanted criminals, but say the main goal is to disrupt the terror networks.

It will be several days before it becomes clear whether they have managed to arrest members of the groups carrying out the sectarian killings.

The government says home-grown militants with links to opposition parties such as the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are seeking to destabilize the country.

The international militant groups Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for some of the attacks.

Based on reporting by BBC and dpa