India's elite counter-terrorism force NSG to visit Bangladesh to study recent attacks

A National Security Guards (NSG) team from India will visit Bangladesh to study the recent terrorist attacks that have shocked the nation. Within a week of several gunmen launching a brutal attack at an upscale cafe in the diplomatic zone in capital Dhaka that left 20 civilians and two policemen dead, suspected Islamic militants targeted an Eid prayer gathering on Thursday (7 July).

The latest attack in which militants hurled crude bombs on security forces at the entrance to the Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj, near Dhaka, killed three people, including two policemen. More than 300,000 people had gathered at the prayer site.

The special Indian team will visit the attack sites – the Sholakia Eidgah and the Holey Artisan Bakery – to "analyse and study" the bombings, Indian media reported, citing the Press Trust of India. The team is due to arrive in the neighbouring country during the coming weekend. Earlier, Indian authorities had expressed interest in sending the elite team to the neighbouring country to gain a deeper insight into the events and get a better understanding of the operations that followed the attacks. The Special Forces establishment in Bangladesh accepted India's request and allowed the federal counter-terror and counter-hijack commando action force to visit the attack sites.

The visiting team would comprise NSG experts in post-blast analysis and counter-terror operations. The study is expected to help in enhancing counter-terror cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.

Citing Indian officials, the news agency said NSG teams have previously undertaken similar trips to friendly nations to study counter-terrorism operations. The NSG was formed in 1984 following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.