ABSTRACT
The rise of Islamism in Bangladesh has attracted the attention of regional and extra-regional analysts intermittently for more than five years. These concerns have become more focused since the 17 August 2005 country-wide series of bomb attacks when two proscribed militant Islamist organizations exploded more than 450 bombs within less than an hour. 1 This unprecedented show of force and organization sent a strong message that Islamist militants were a force to be reckoned with. These events were followed by four incidents of suicide attacks over the next several months, killing at least 30 people and wounding 150 more, orchestrated by the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB, the Assembly of Holy Warriors) and the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB, the Awakened Muslim Masses of Bangladesh). 2 The victims included judges, lawyers, policemen and journalists.
