Over the last two years, Bangladesh government has attracted media attention due to the alleged presence of Islamic militant groups and the specter of ‘militant Islamization.’ Time magazine had noted that Bangladesh is a "hotbed of radical Islam". Reportedly, some 150 men belonging to Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan had entered Bangladesh in December 2001through Chittagong. They were seen carrying boxes of ammunition and AK-47 assault rifles. The Bangladesh Foreign Secretary rejected the Time article as baseless. Earlier, in April 2001, the Far Eastern Economic Review ran a cover story depicting Bangladesh as a 'cocoon of terror.'

The Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), a force of about 2000 men of Bangladesh, is closely linked with the al Qaeda. HuJI came into existence in 1992 and is believed to be an offshoot of a Pakistani group financially and ideologically supported by bin Laden. Western intelligence officials believe that one Fazlul Rahman signed bin Laden's 23 February 1998 declaration of holy war on the US on behalf of the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh. Reports also suggest that several young Muslim radicals from Malaysia and Indonesia are present in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong and maintain contacts with local Muslim groups. The madrassas serve as meeting grounds for exporting terrorism. The presence of al Qaeda and now of Jemaah Islamiah, a Southeast Asian Islamic militant group, trained in sea-borne guerrilla tactics has fueled fears that Bangladesh could become a haven for militants of all nations. Earlier, in November 2002, India's External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha charged that Pakistan ISI was active in Bangladesh, and that the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka had become a "nerve centerâ€Â