Bangladesh Offering Almost $13,000 to Militants who Return to Normal Life

Bangladeshi forces on Monday announced a financial reward for any militant who chooses to return to normal life and provide information about other terrorists.

Days after the Dhaka cafe siege and the terror attack on the Eid gathering, Bangladesh's elite anti-crime force conducted a search in the city of Bogra to locate militant training camps and also promised a million Bangladeshi Taka (US $12,800) to any activist in exchange for specific information about the activities of militants.

"If someone wants to return to a normal life from the banned outfits and provide us information about his fellow militants, he will be given Taka 1,000,000 and all support for his social rehabilitation," the Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Benazir Ahmed told a media briefing at Bogra.

Anyone else who could provide RAB with information related to militant outfits would be rewarded Taka 500,000 ($6,400) while the informant's identity would be kept secret.

A total of 32 people, including seven suspected terrorists, were killed in the two incidents on July 1 in Dhaka and on July 7 in northern Sholakia during the country's biggest gathering to mark the Muslim Eid holiday.