Bangladesh: Minister Denies Islamic State Presence

Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said the Islamic State has no presence in Bangladesh, despite the fact that it has claimed a string of brutal attacks there beginning in September 2015, Reuters reported May 25. Alam blamed homegrown extremist groups for the attacks, which have targeted secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists and religious minorities. In the April 13 edition of Dabiq, the Islamic State's magazine, the head of the group's operations in Bangladesh discussed its plans to expand its reach in the country, listing a number of potential targets for future attacks. Regardless of the veracity of the government's claim, the Islamic State will have to compete with long-established radical groups in Bangladesh if it wants to gain a foothold there.