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Evidence to link ISIS and Bangla attacks: Kerry From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Aug 29 (PTI) There is "evidence" to link the ISISwith militants in Bangladesh, US Secretary of State John Kerrytoday said on his first visit to the Muslim-majority countryreeling under a wave of brutal attacks on minorities andsecular activists, in a major blow to the government’s stance. Kerry, after holding talks with Prime Minister SheikhHasina and his Bangladeshi counterpart A H Mahmood Ali, saidthere was "no argument about it (the links)". "…there is evidence that ISIL in Iraq and Syria hascontacts with about eight different entities around the worldand one of them is in South Asia," Kerry said. "They are connected to some degree with some of theoperatives here and we made that very clear in ourconversation. There was no argument about it," he said. Hasina’s administration has blamed homegrown militancyfor a spate of attacks on secular, liberal activists andreligious minorities and denied that ISIS has gained afoothold in the country. Kerry’s remarks are a major blow tothe stance. He, however, rejected accusations that the government isin denial about the nature of the extremist threat it facesand said the US stood firmly with Bangladesh in its fightagainst the militants as the two countries agreed to boostcooperation in intelligence exchange. "I don’t believe that the government of Bangladesh hasits head in the sand. I do not believe that," he said. Kerry conveyed the US’ interest to work closely withintelligence agencies of Bangladesh to fight terrorism andsaid that "we need to exchange information to combatterrorism", Hasina’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told amedia briefing. Kerry said the US would work together with Bangladesh tofight terrorism and reiterated its offer to provide experts tothis end. "We would fight with Bangladesh to combat terrorism… wehave enough experts in this regard and we could helpBangladesh by giving these experts," Karim quoted Kerry astelling the Bangladeshi premier at her office. However, Kerry also highlighted that democracy provides"the most resilient and reliable platform we have forpreventing and responding to violent extremism", remarks thatgain significance in the wake of a crackdown on opponents thathas seen thousands of activists behind bars. The jailed activists are mostly from the party ofHasina’s archrival Khaleda Zia, two-time premier. "Just as important, we understand that to defeatterrorists, we must uphold, not betray, the democraticprinciples we cherish and they abhor," he said. Kerry’s visit to the country came on a day Bangladeshpolice raided a hideout of the homegrown outlawed militantoutfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and shot dead its commander, whowas involved in an attack on a temple and a bid to kill anItalian priest last year, along with his aide. (MORE) PTI ARSAI AKJSAI