CTTC chief: Hard-and-soft approach needed to counter terrorism

Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Md Monirul Islam on Tuesday said a hard-and-soft approach needs to be applied to control militancy.

“Militancy cannot be contained just by enforcing law. It requires a hard-and-soft approach to control militancy," he said while addressing a seminar.

The seminar – on the role of Islamic scholars in preventing violence and extremism – was jointly organized by the Islamic Foundation and the CTTC at the Islamic Foundation auditorium in Dhaka.

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Monirul, also an additional commissioner, said some miscreants of this society want to perpetuate militancy by misinterpreting religion in their own interest, but it is ultimately Islam that receives the blow as a result of their activities.

Addressing the seminar as the chief guest, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan said: "You [Islamic scholars] are helping the Islamic Foundation in the greatest interest of the country and the nation. The way you can explain anything, no one else can do that. Everyone respects you.”

He said terrorism has no place in Islam. During the sermons of Jumma prayers, imams have to raise and create awareness among Muslims against terrorism and militancy, he added.