Terrorism Related Killings in Bangladesh from 2000 to 2025

The first five years (2000-2004) demonstrate a clear escalation trajectory, with total fatalities increasing from just 16 in 2000 to 280 by 2004—a 1,650% increase that signals the emergence of terrorism as a significant national security challenge. This period coincides with the rise of militant Islamist groups like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh (Huji-B), capitalising on political instability and regional influences. The relatively balanced ratio between terrorist and civilian casualties during this period (180 terrorists versus 88 civilians in 2004) suggests an environment of active confrontation between security forces and militant groups rather than predominantly civilian-targeted attacks.

The period between 2005 and 2007 represents a sustained peak in violence, with annual fatalities remaining above 200 before beginning a notable decline. The year 2005 marked a significant turning point in Bangladesh’s counterterrorism approach, following coordinated bombings across the country that triggered intensified security responses. The dramatic drop in casualties from 209 in 2006 to 80 in 2007 likely reflects the impact of these enhanced counterterrorism operations, including the capture and execution of key JMB leaders, demonstrating how decisive security actions can rapidly alter the terrorism landscape.

The following decade (2008-2012) shows a generally improved security environment with annual fatalities typically ranging between 25-99, suggesting a period of relative containment. However, this apparent stability was dramatically shattered in 2013, when fatalities surged to 400—the highest annual total in the entire dataset. This alarming spike was primarily driven by civilian casualties (240), likely connected to political violence surrounding the controversial war crimes tribunals and heightened tensions between secular and Islamist factions. This abrupt escalation from 25 deaths in 2012 to 400 in 2013—a 1,500% increase in a single year—highlights the potential volatility of terrorism trends and their connection to broader political developments.

The post-2013 period initially shows another steep decline in fatalities, dropping to 80 in 2014, before experiencing another significant spike to 132 in 2016, coinciding with the horrific Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka that signalled ISIS’s influence in Bangladesh. This event marked a qualitative shift in the country’s terrorism landscape, with the emergence of more sophisticated, internationally-connected extremist operations targeting foreigners and representing a departure from the primarily domestically-focused militancy of earlier years.

The most remarkable feature of the data is the dramatic improvement from 2018 onward, with fatalities dropping precipitously to just 23 in 2018 and reaching a historic low of a single fatality in 2021. This remarkable achievement—a 99.7% reduction from the 2013 peak—suggests extraordinarily successful counterterrorism measures, possibly including enhanced intelligence capabilities, international cooperation, community engagement programs, and counter-radicalisation initiatives. The near-total absence of security force casualties during this period (zero in multiple years) further indicates the shift from active confrontation to preventive security approaches.

However, the most recent data points reveal a concerning reversal of this positive trend, with fatalities increasing to 22 in 2022 and then surging to 98 in 2023 before moderating slightly to 65 in early 2024. This resurgence, primarily affecting civilians (63 deaths in 2023), suggests potential new mobilization among extremist networks or possibly different forms of political violence being classified as terrorism. The changing ratio between terrorist and civilian casualties—with civilian deaths exceeding terrorist deaths in recent years—indicates a shift in either attack methodologies or security force approaches.

When comparing Bangladesh’s experience with India’s, several contrasts emerge. While India shows a more gradual, consistent improvement in its terrorism situation, Bangladesh’s pattern is characterised by dramatic volatility with sharp spikes and rapid improvements. India’s terrorism challenges appear more persistent but increasingly contained, while Bangladesh has experienced periods of near-elimination of terrorism followed by concerning resurgences. These differences likely reflect the distinct nature of terrorism in each country—India facing multiple, entrenched insurgencies across diverse regions, while Bangladesh’s challenges have been more concentrated and episodic, often closely tied to specific political developments or the emergence of particular militant groups.

The overall trajectory demonstrates Bangladesh’s capacity to achieve remarkable successes against terrorism when deploying focused resources and strategies, but also reveals the persistent risk of resurgence that requires sustained vigilance. The recent increase in fatalities serves as a reminder that terrorism threats can rapidly regenerate even after periods of significant improvement, highlighting the importance of maintaining robust counterterrorism capabilities and addressing underlying factors that contribute to radicalisation. Despite these recent concerns, the current level of terrorism-related violence remains dramatically lower than the peak periods of 2004-2006 and 2013, representing a significant overall improvement in Bangladesh’s security environment over the 25-year timeframe.