Should We Wait for a Deadly Explosion?

T   he recent spate of bomb-related incidents in Savar and Barishal has raised grave concerns about the country’s security situation. According to media reports, a powerful pressure-cooker bomb was recovered and defused beside a mosque in Savar, nine more explosives were seized from a house in the same area, and a blast inside the Barishal Chief Judicial Magistrate Court sent judges, lawyers and officials rushing for safety. A suspected bomb was also recently recovered near Motijheel Metro Station. Though the incidents occurred in different places, their frequency and reported connections suggest that the country may be facing a broader security challenge. 
More concerning is what the Savar investigation is beginning to reveal. Police say Mohammad Arif, arrested with explosives and bomb-making materials, was a protégé of Neo-JMB member Nazmul Hasan Mamun alias Bomaru Mamun, who was detained nine years ago but came out of jail after August 5, 2024. Investigators have linked the two to several previous incidents, including a blast during bomb-making at a Keraniganj madrasa, an attack on police in Jatrabari, an explosion at a Shiva temple in Cumilla and another blast during a police search in Sayedabad. They have also linked them to an explosive device allegedly planted near Motijheel Metro Station during a Hindu festival procession and a pressure-cooker bomb left at a tea stall in Ashulia. If proven, these allegations could point to a network capable of making, storing and transporting explosives without attracting sufficient attention from authorities.
The reported involvement of TATP, a highly unstable explosive, makes the matter even more alarming. It is quite unacceptable that the suspect could rent a room under a false identity and bring chemicals allegedly used in bomb-making into it without attracting attention. This points to possible gaps in surveillance and intelligence gathering and raises questions about how such materials are sourced, transported and stored without detection.
However, the Barishal court blast illustrates the wider implications of the threat. Courts, metro stations, religious sites and other public places are particularly sensitive because incidents there can cause casualties, disrupt essential activities and spread fear. An attack on such locations can also undermine public confidence in the state’s ability to protect citizens and vital institutions.
The authorities must therefore act urgently on several fronts. Intelligence gathering and information-sharing among agencies should be strengthened, while security arrangements at vulnerable locations should be reviewed according to actual risks. CCTV surveillance, sensible access controls and rapid-response capabilities should be improved without unnecessarily disrupting public life. At the same time, investigators must trace the sources of explosives, funding and logistical support and identify links among suspects. Moreover, all cases must be built on credible evidence and handled through due process so that prosecutions stand up in court. 
In conclusion, waiting for a deadly explosion before addressing these visible gaps would amount to a serious dereliction of duty; the time to act against potential threats to the country’s peace and stability is now.