Militants are few in number, we will defeat them: Home Minister Kamal

In the wake of recent terror attacks, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has urged the public university teachers to launch a social movement against militancy.

He gave the call in a meeting with public university authorities in Dhaka on Saturday 
 
The University Grants Commission organised the meeting against the backdrop of investigation findings that suggested that university students were joining militant groups after running away from home.
 
“We are alert. We are uniting to fight this across the country,” Kamal said.
 
Addressing the teachers, he said, “Build up a social movement. Because they (militants) are very few and insignificant in number. So we will surely defeat them.”
 
He praised police effort to suppress militancy, remembering the policemen killed in the Gulshan and Sholakia attacks.
 
The home minister asked the teachers to review activities of the students and inform the government if something suspicious is found.
 
“Please check why our meritorious students are joining militants. Inform us. We will work on it,” he said.

He wondered why the youngmen were risking their lives for religion when the state is not suppressing any religious view.

“Then why are they doing this and how? We have crosschecked facts and found an answer – the anti-Liberation War forces are provoking these boys,” Kamal said.

“They had carried out attacks in the name of Harkatul Jihad, JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team or Ansar Al Islam. Now they are trying to emerge as IS.”

“They are saying that they will establish an Islamic state. They are saying this in Bangladesh where 90 percent people are Muslims!” he added.

The home minister said he had thought madrasa students were involved in terror attacks.

“Now I see students of renowned institutions are being used for these attacks,” he said.

He said terrorism was a global issue.

“We thought Germany was very alert. But they have suffered an attack. France underwent several attacks. Attacks have also been carried out in Turkey, the US...no place is left out. Even in India,” he said.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid presided over the meeting.