Allegations of links to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the armed group commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban, have surfaced against a Bangladeshi police constable. The force has isolated Constable Shakil Hasan in response. Forensic specialists are now examining his mobile phone to establish whether any other officers or outsiders maintained ties to the militant group. Police are paying particular attention to the officers with whom Hasan served over extended periods, sources said.
Hasan was most recently a bodyguard to Ahmed Muyeed, an additional deputy inspector general (welfare trust) at police headquarters, and in that capacity attended several important state events. Crime analysts regard the accusation against a police officer as a serious security threat, especially with the country on alert over possible attacks on critical installations.
Police headquarters sources said Hasan is from Netrokona. An intelligence agency brought his alleged TTP links to the force’s attention. After two rounds of internal interrogation, police headquarters transferred him to Barisal and placed him in isolation. Investigators are reviewing his personal and digital communications, foreign connections and financial transactions. They are examining in particular how Hasan used certain online platforms and border-area networks to stay in contact with the TTP. Analysis of data on his seized mobile phone is also underway to identify any other police personnel or outsiders involved. Several police officers said the process will determine whether Hasan had a sabotage plan.
Hasan’s last posting was as a bodyguard to Ahmed Muyeed. He previously guarded Muyeed in 2014 and 2015. When Muyeed went abroad on an overseas mission, Hasan transferred to the Special Branch (SB), then headed by Additional IGP Monirul Islam, whom the government forced into retirement following the 2024 July uprising. After August 5, 2024, Muyeed took charge as Superintendent of Police for Dhaka district and requested that Hasan be assigned as his bodyguard once again. The request was granted. When Muyeed was later promoted to Additional DIG and posted at the police headquarters, Hasan remained his bodyguard.
Bonik Barta spoke to Ahmed Muyeed over Hasan’s alleged TTP links. “Constable Shakil Hasan has been my bodyguard for a long time. He is an extremely honest and loyal police officer. That is why I have kept him as a bodyguard,” Muyeed said. “I never observed any indication that he was linked to the TTP or any armed group. After the allegation of TTP involvement surfaced, senior officers ordered him transferred to Barisal and held in isolation.”
The case of Constable Shakil Hasan carries implications that reach far beyond a single disciplinary breach, crime analysts have warned; it is a red alert for the national security framework itself. Influence or infiltration by a foreign extremist group inside an institution as sensitive as the police could imperil the country’s entire security apparatus. The state must therefore move swiftly to identify anyone linked to the TTP or any armed group and bring them to justice.
Dr Tawohidul Haque, an associate professor at the University of Dhaka’s Institute of Social Welfare and Research and a crime specialist, told Bonik Barta: “The TTP is notorious for instigating criminal and undemocratic acts both at home and abroad. For a police officer or any citizen of Bangladesh to be tied to them is deeply alarming. We can’t rule out the possibility that this could trigger violence inside the country. The nature and scale of the accused’s involvement must be thoroughly examined.”
Asked about the matter, AHM Shahadat Hossain, assistant inspector general (media and public relations) at the police headquarters, told Bonik Barta: “The allegation of constable Shakil Hasan’s TTP involvement isn’t yet known to me. I will be able to share details after I have learned more.”
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Police has issued an intelligence alert over possible sabotage at key state and government installations. It ordered all units to tighten security at sensitive sites, including the national parliament. Police headquarters issued the warning in a letter signed on April 23 by Kamrul Ahsan, a deputy inspector general (Confidential).
The note said recent intelligence indicated that members of a banned militant outfit are actively communicating and may be planning coordinated attacks. Possible targets include the parliament building, critical police and military installations, places of worship, entertainment venues and other vital infrastructure. The group is exploring various attack methods, a development that has raised national security concerns.
In response, the directive ordered enhanced security, heightened surveillance and closer coordination among intelligence agencies. Copies of the alert have been sent to the CID, the Special Branch, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit and all district police superintendents.