The government is identifying the places where about 224,000 foreign nationals in Bangladesh live and work to give them security.The move comes in the wake of the killing of two foreigners in Dhaka and Rangpur within a span of one week.Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told greenwatchbd.com on Tuesday that security had already been ratcheted up.“We’ve taken measures to ensure the safety of about 224,000 foreigners living in Bangladesh,” he said. “A process was on to identify their residences and work places.”Kamal was scheduled to brief the diplomats on the current situation.Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella was shot dead in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone Gulshan on Sept 28, while Japanese Kunio Hoshi was killed in Rangpur on Oct 3.In both cases, witnesses said, the motorcycle-borne assailants fled after shooting the foreigners.Minister Kamal said they had increased vigilance by detectives in the diplomatic zone.The government and investigators have ruled out the involvement of militant group Islamic State.Several countries have advised their nationals to curtail their movements.“We’re taking special security measures along the routes they (foreigners) take, the places they visit for recreation and their social gatherings,” the minister added.He referred to the arrest of five suspected members of banned militant group JMB in Chittagong with bombs, arms and ammunition.“Drives are on to arrest militants and terrorists across the country and militant activities are being monitored online,” he said. “A ‘special task force’ has been formed to ensure the foreigners’ security.”
