Bangladesh needs to have a national unity shunning the blame game to fight back and combat violent extremism, said a renowned global analyst.

"Bangladesh society has always rejected violent extremism. It's time to create an environment where the strength of civil society and of common citizens can be harnessed to combat the menace," Prof Ali Riaz, chair of the Department of Politics and Government at the Illinois State University, told the news agency.

He said the Gulshan attack is a testimony that the current counterterrorism strategy is faltering. "There were significant successes between 2006 and 2012. What changed since then is a question we must ask," he said.

Prof Riaz said violent extremism cannot be defeated by security operations alone while dismantling the network is an important aspect.

"There're legal and judicial aspects, too. The enabling environment which allows militancy to fester must be addressed in earnest. We must acknowledge there's no full-proof strategy," he added. There is no single cause but both global and domestic factors are contributing to this kind of situation, Prof Riaz added.