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Bangladesh Police has proposed renaming its two specialised counterterrorism agencies – the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) and the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit – as part of a broader restructuring aimed at strengthening national security.
Under the proposal, the ATU will be renamed the Special Security Unit (SSU), while the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s CTTC will become the Special Security Unit–DMP (SSU-DMP). The proposal is currently under government review.
Police Headquarters sent the proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs on June 7 seeking approval for the ATU’s new name.
A day later, it asked the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner to take the necessary steps to rename the CTTC as SSU-DMP.
Police Headquarters spokesperson AHM Shahadat Hossain said the restructuring is intended to enhance the operational capacity of the two units while retaining their core security responsibilities.
The proposal, signed on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) by an Additional Inspector General, says the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), internet access and digital communications has significantly changed the nature of security threats, making it essential to modernise the country’s security framework.
It says extremist and militant groups are increasingly using sophisticated methods to plan, finance and execute attacks targeting national security and social stability. These groups allegedly exploit distorted interpretations of religion to recruit economically vulnerable people, spread misinformation and rumours online to incite communal violence, and radicalise young people through educational institutions and digital platforms before recruiting them into covert “sleeper cells.”
To address these evolving threats, the proposal recommends expanding the unit’s mandate beyond counterterrorism to include protecting internal security, national stability and public safety.
It also notes that the name Special Security Unit is internationally recognised and would help strengthen cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies while improving coordination with domestic security organisations.
The ATU was established in the aftermath of the 2016 terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka and was formally launched on December 7, 2017. Since then, it has served as the country’s specialised counterterrorism force.
Additional Inspector General of Police Khondkar Rafiqul Islam confirmed that the proposal has already been discussed at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“A decision in principle has been made, and meetings have already been held at the ministry. However, the proposal has not yet received final approval,” he said.
