At least 578 militants held or wanted in connection with militancy are now in hiding after evading arrest or securing bail, according to police.
Of them 281 people have been granted bail by the High Court and 297 remain fugitives following conviction in absentia in various militancy cases. The police have taken various steps to arrest the fugitive militants, but they are not succeeding as expected.
Law enforcers got instructions for special surveillance on the militants who came out of the prison after completion of the sentences or on bail. Besides, cyber patrolling has been asked to be strengthened.
Despite years of vigorous and continued success in detaining militants or thwarting their nefarious plans, law enforcement agencies have been unable to follow through on ensuring long-term punishment in the court of law.
The July 1 of 2016 the terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery, an upscale cafe in Gulshan in the capital, was a wake-up call not just for Bangladeshs law enforcement agencies, but the entire nation.
Since the attack, law enforcement agencies have conducted a rigorous anti-militancy campaign around the country to curb the growing risks of militant movements, including raids and public awareness programmes.
After seven and half years of rigorous anti-militancy drives, law enforcement officers can say militant groups have mostly been neutralized, but as 60 per cent of the arrested are now out on bail or in hiding, a major threat looms overhead.
Samiun Rahman alias Ibn Hamdan is one of the top militants with experience of fighting for the Islamic State in Syria.
Detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police picked him up from Dhaka on September 28 in 2014. But he too managed to secure bail.
A database of Police Headquarters (PHQ) shows 4,881 people were arrested over their involvement with different militant outfits in 16 years since 2005. Of them, 2,456 walked out of jail on bail. A total of 297 suspects out of 2,456 went into hiding.
As many as 1,324 cases were filed against 5,202 people during this period. Of them, 62 militant suspects were handed the death penalty, according to the database.
Officials working on countering extremism said collecting evidence against militant suspects often takes time which gives them the chance to secure bail.
Also, a lack of public prosecutors experienced in dealing with militant cases goes in favour of the suspects, they added.
According to court sources, a small number of militant suspects, who are on bail, appears before the court during the hearing.
A high official of police preferred anonymity told the Daily Observer, "It is not possible to keep track of all the militants who are on bail as many of them are on the run after securing bail. They may try to re-organize again," he added.
He further added that is not true that all militant suspects return to extremist activities after securing bail. Some suspects tried to return to normal life, but they did not have the scope, he said.
"Law enforcers cannot deal with such an issue. There should be an independent body who would look after this from the very day a suspect is granted bail," he added.
