2017 saw a big stride in combating militancy

The law enforcement agencies achieved a significant success in 2017 in curbing militancy. Around 50 suspected militants have been killed during the anti-militancy drives by the law enforcing agencies including Army commandos, Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police.
Most of them were the members of the banned militant outfit Neo Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Nearly 85 suspected militants and hundreds of others were arrested since the terror attack took place at a Gulshan café 2016. Moreover, the law enforcers detained 250 listed militants and recovered huge explosives and firearms.
A suicide bomber was killed and two RAB members were wounded in the suicide attack near a makeshift camp of the RAB at Dhaka's Ashkona Hajj Camp on March 17. Another suspected militant was killed with two RAB members injured in an attack on a RAB check-post in the capital's Khilgaon area the very next day on March 18. Less than 48 hours later,  RAB held five suspected militants conducting separate operations at Jatrabari and Uttar Badda in the capital on March 20.
Four militants were killed during the army-led operation titled 'Operation Twilight' inside the militant hideout at Atia Mahal in Sylhet. The army-led operation began on March 25. Six people, including two suspected bombers and two police officers were killed in this operation. Three of the dead were males and one was a female.
Seven to eight suspected militants were found dead during a raid at Nasirpur village in Moulvibazar. Body parts of men and women were found scattered inside a militant den. Additionally, three militants - two males and one female - died during the 'Operation Maximus' in Moulvibazar's Borohat on March 25.
On June 12, eight members of Neo JMB surrendered after law enforcers cordoned off a house in Tanore upazila of Rajshahi suspecting it a militant den. The law enforcers also recovered two suicide vests, a pistol, six rounds of bullets and a magazine from the house.
Earlier on July 21, four JMB men including chief of southern region of Md Mahmudul Hasan alias Tanvir, were arrested from Tongi.
Four women leaders of JMB, including its top leader Aklima Rahman alias Moni, were arrested from Signboard area of Tongi of Gazipur district on August 24.
On September 6 seven suspected militants, including the notorious Abdullah's presence was reported on the fourth and fifth floors of a building. His refusal to surrender resulted in day's long clash between the militants and the law enforcers.
One of the explosions in the building spread fire in the suspect's apartment, lighting up the area. Later in the afternoon, the elite force recovered the skulls of seven people, including two women and two children the next day.
Three JMB men including Tamim Chowdhruy, the mastermind of Gulshan attack, were killed on August 27 during a special drive by the joint forces in a militant den in Paikpara area of Narayanganj.
In the latest police drive at Ashkona's House no-50 (Surya Vila) under Dakshinkhan Police Station on December 24, two were killed as a female militant blew herself up.
Besides, two women -- wife of Major (retd) Jahid, allegedly the trainer of Gulshan and Sholakia attackers, and wife of "Neo JMB" leader Maynul Musa -- surrendered with two babies.
Twelve suspected members of JMB, including Dhaka divisional operation commander Faridul Islam alias Akash, were killed in four operations of police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Gazipur, Tangail districts and Ashulia, on the outskirts of the city, on Saturday.
Police said since the killing of the suspected mastermind of the Gulshan cafe attack, Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, at Narayanganj the anti-militancy drive gathered a momentum and the success rate in combating militancy has also gone up in 2017.