A major crisis has hit Bangladeshis in the Muslim country of Malaysia. The country has arrested 36 Bangladeshis on charges of spreading terrorism. Malaysian authorities claim that all of them were working for the Islamic State (ISIS). The Bangladesh government has dismissed the claim as fabricated and stated it will work to bring its citizens back.
According to a Canadian news agency Reuters, Malaysian police were investigating a suspected attack that took place in Kuala Lumpur in 2016. During the investigation, they got information about an Islamic State network, leading to this large-scale action. The special task force of Malaysian police, called the Visakha Team, arrested the 36 Bangladeshis in three separate raids.
How Were the Bangladeshis Helping ISIS?
According to Inspector General of Police Mohammad Khalid, thousands of Bangladeshis come to Malaysia every year to work in plantations and mines. ISIS militants took advantage of these migrant workers to build their network in Malaysia.
Funding was arranged internationally for this operation. ISIS terrorists sent Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia, where they collected information. Of those arrested, five had been working for the Islamic State for several years.
Malaysian police say legal action will be taken against all the suspects. They are also working to identify more members of the network.
How Were These Bangladeshis Caught in Malaysia?
According to Malaysian police, the arrested Bangladeshis had come to Malaysia under the guise of doing labor work. Initially, they worked for a few days as a cover, but later began spreading radical ideologies. They heavily used social media for this purpose.
Malaysian police arrested them after continuous tracking. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Alam has called the entire case an attempt to defame Bangladesh. He stated that the Bangladesh government is in contact with Malaysian authorities.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Home Minister said, “We will not allow our country to become a hub for ISIS. We are continuously taking action against those involved in spreading extremism.”
