Intelligence agencies and law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh have stepped up security measures following a direct terror threat against the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. The threat, delivered via email on Wednesday night in the name of an extremist organisation, prompted senior counter-terrorism officials and police headquarters to hold emergency security appraisals with Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen.
The development triggered friction between embassy staff and local police regarding the adequacy of existing protective measures. Intelligence sources revealed that heated arguments broke out between both sides over the diplomatic mission’s security arrangements before formal discussions took place.
On Thursday morning, a specialised counter-terrorism delegation led by Munshi Shahabuddin, Joint Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, arrived at the Chinese Embassy in the high-security Baridhara diplomatic zone. The 30-minute high-level briefing included Additional Deputy Commissioner Mahmud from Police Headquarters’ Lawful Interception Cell (LIC), Ambassador Yao Wen, and at least ten Chinese nationals managing major development projects across Bangladesh.
Diplomatic sources indicated that the embassy alerted police headquarters and the CTTC immediately upon receiving the threatening email. The emergency meeting focused on evaluating the credibility of the message, tracing the digital footprint of the sender, and reinforcing protective cordons around embassy premises and Chinese personnel across the capital.
Following the session at the Chinese mission, the CTTC team moved directly to the neighbouring Japanese Embassy in Baridhara. Joint Commissioner Munshi Shahabuddin held a follow-up security review with Japanese Ambassador Saida Shinichi to reassure Tokyo’s diplomatic corps and assess their safety requirements.
The threat follows a string of alarming security incidents involving suspicious explosive devices across the country. Police bomb disposal units recently neutralised several bomb-like devices discovered in multiple locations, including two found in Dhaka’s Demra area, which led to the arrest of an alleged Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operative. Investigators identified the arrested suspect as a close associate of absconding operative Mamun, alias “Boma Mamun.” Intelligence findings indicate that key operatives reconnected while in judicial custody before slipping into hiding after securing bail. The arrests followed a United Nations advisory warning about extremist networks linked to Al-Qaeda operating in the region.
A senior CTTC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that investigators are working urgently to identify the senders and uncover the militant outfit behind the email. He noted that the dedicated Diplomatic Security Division has assumed frontline responsibility for guarding diplomatic premises.
Deputy Commissioner of the Diplomatic Security Division Syed Mohammad Farhad could not be reached for comment despite multiple telephone calls.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies have intensified surveillance across Gulshan, Banani, and Baridhara, bolstering round-the-clock protection for foreign nationals, residential compounds, and diplomatic missions across the capital.
