Sheikh Hasina's political advisor says Dhaka attack requires intense probe to prove ISIS link

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's political advisor HT Imam said on Monday that the Dhaka terror attack requires intense probing and analysis to reach substantive conclusions about the role of the ISIS in the incident.

"Let it be probed. Deep probing and analysis is necessary, it could be either," Imam told ANI.

When asked about the progress of investigation in the attack, Imam said, "I don't know the details, as this is a subject matter for intelligence agencies and security force to find out. They are probing the possible links and I would say let's wait a bit as its only the second day and there is intense work going on."

Imam said that Bangladesh is exchanging intelligence with India and other friendly countries to get a deep insight into the attack.

"We will also be exchanging information and interacting with our Indian counterparts and also with other friends abroad and then only we can come to a substantive conclusion," he said.

On Sunday, Bangladesh Prime Minister's Advisor on International Affairs Gowher Rizvi blamed homegrown Islamist terrorists for the attack and denied any ISIS link so far saying they do not have any concrete evidence.

The 12-hour-long hostage crisis in an upscale bakery had ended on Saturday morning after a two-hour long assault by armed forces' commandos, killing six gunmen and capturing one alive.

Nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian, one Bangladeshi American and two Bangladeshis were among the 20 killed in the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Indo-Bangladesh border has been put on high alert.

The Border Security Force (BSF) of North Bengal Frontier has tightened security arrangements in 199 Border out Post (BOPs) including Barun Indo-Bangladesh border near Mekhligunj in Cooochbehar district of West Bengal.