The secular South Asian nation —
traditionally moderate even if unstable at times — has repeatedly
insisted it has religious radicalism in check and is maintaining peace
among its 160 million people. That claim was severely tested this week
after an Italian aid worker became the fifth person to be killed this
year in attacks claimed by extremist groups.
A
foreigner being gunned down in the country's capital is bad news for
Bangladesh, whose economy is heavily reliant on a $25 billion garment
industry that produces clothing and fashion wear for international
brands including Zara, Benetton and Gap.
Hassan
Shariar, a well-known political commentator and columnist, said even
though the government won't acknowledge it, there clearly are pockets of
radical Islam in the country.
"I
don't know why intelligence (agencies) failed to understand that things
are going out of control," he said. "It is clearly evident ... that
they are failing to contain it with an iron hand."
,,,
Then on Monday, three motorcycle-riding assailants gunned down the
Italian aid worker, Cesare Tavella, in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka.
The Sunni extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility and vowed
more such killings in Muslim-majority countries.
The government dismissed the IS claim, saying there was no evidence. It described the killing as an "isolated incident."
"There is no existence of the Islamic State here," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Tuesday.
Murders test Bangladesh claims that radical Islam in check - Yahoo News
