Security tightened ahead of 5 August following bomb scares

Security has been tightened across the country ahead of 5 August as authorities remain on high alert over possible sabotage attempts allegedly linked to the activities-banned Awami League.
Speaking at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Sardah, Rajshahi, on Sunday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said authorities had observed activities linked to the Awami League ahead of 5 August and had instructed all law enforcement agencies to remain on high alert.
The heightened security comes after a series of bomb scares and reports of suspicious objects in Dhaka and its outskirts over the past two weeks, triggering panic and prompting emergency responses by law enforcement agencies.
The most serious incident occurred on 24 July, when the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)’s Bomb Disposal Unit recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) concealed inside an umbrella beneath Motijheel Metro Rail Station.
DMP Assistant Commissioner (Motijheel Zone) Hussain Muhammad Farabi said the device had been placed along the route of the Hindu community’s Ulto Rath Yatra procession. It was later safely defused after the procession was diverted and the area secured.
The following day, another abandoned sack containing an umbrella outside Bangladesh Bank sparked panic, prompting police to file a case under the Explosive Substances Act against unidentified persons.
On Friday, the Bomb Disposal Unit defused another explosive device found inside a pressure cooker kept in a bag outside a tea stall in Ashulia. Police later filed another case under the Explosive Substances Act.
On Saturday, abandoned bags found near the Mirpur-10 and Farmgate metro rail stations prompted bomb disposal teams to respond. However, no explosives were recovered in either incident.
An intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Daily Sun that security agencies feared attempts to create unrest ahead of 5 August.
Against this backdrop, Police Headquarters has instructed all field-level units to strengthen security for police vehicles and intensify patrols across the country.
In an urgent message issued on Saturday night, all units were asked to remain on maximum alert, warning that police jeeps, pick-up vans, buses and other government vehicles could be potential targets.
Assistant Inspector General (Media) at Police Headquarters AHM Shahadat Hossain told the Daily Sun that the message was an internal operational directive issued as part of routine security measures.
“It was an internal command. For some reason, it became public and created unnecessary concern. We are looking into how it was exposed,” he said.
He said police regularly issue such operational instructions to ensure the safety of personnel and government assets, adding that there was no reason for the public to panic.
DMP Additional Commissioner (Detective Branch) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam said there was no specific intelligence indicating an imminent attack on law enforcement agencies.
“We have no such specific information. However, we always remain alert. Our senior officers are monitoring the situation regularly and field-level personnel have been asked to remain more vigilant,” he said.
Asked whether any organisation was behind the recent incidents, he said such acts were generally carried out in an organised manner rather than by individuals.
“These incidents are usually intended to promote a particular objective or ideology. However, it is not possible to identify those responsible until the investigation is completed,” he added.
M Sakhawat Hussain, a security analyst and former adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, told the Daily Sun that the recent incidents appeared to be isolated attempts to spread fear rather than signs of a coordinated large-scale attack.
“With 5 August approaching and one political party remaining activities-banned, it is possible that elements linked to that party are attempting to create an atmosphere of fear through these isolated incidents,” he said.
“The apparent objective is to frighten people. At this stage, I do not see indications of a major terrorist threat. We do not have any significant operational presence of groups such as IS or Al-Qaeda in Bangladesh, and based on the available information, there is little indication of such a risk,” he added.