New strategy to check terrorism

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Sunday, 24 July 2011

Author / Source : DEEPAK ACHARJEE

DHAKA, JULY 23: In the backdrop of rise in regional terrorism, Bangladesh is updating its records to curb the menace along the border, eliminate its financing and ensure a terrorism-free Bangladesh by 2021. The home ministry has begun working with experts and senior officials of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to update the records, ministry sources said. The authorities, in particular law enforcement and intelligence agencies, will proceed against terrorists based on the records. The government agencies will share information, experiences and training techniques on terrorism with friendly countries like the USA, UK and India.  According to the draft proposal, the
authorities have identified seven categories of terrorism  in the country: ideological terrorism, religious, extremist, Left-wing, insurgency-backed,  criminalised political terrorism and social
terrorism.
The deputy secretary (political) of the home ministry, Md Siddique Ullah Bhuiyan, told The Independent: “We will share information with and provide training to law enforcement and intelligence agencies of our neighboring and friendly countries with a view to stopping cross- border terrorism and terror financing. Terrorism has become a global issue and needs to be tackled globally.”
Militancy and extremism are the main threats in SAARC countries. Several extremist and militant groups are active in the region, killing hundreds of people every year. Members of terrorist groups move across regions committing crimes. A united effort is required to catch the culprits, the sources added.   Bangladesh held a joint working group meeting with Britain in 2010 where law enforcement and the intelligence agencies of the two countries shared information on terrorism. Members of law enforcement and intelligence agencies of Bangladesh have participated in recent seminars and workshops on terrorism. 
At a workshop, organised by the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in July, experts recommended formation of committees to step up monitoring of terrorism and curbing it.  The committees are the National Committee for Intelligence Coordination (NCIC), National Threat Assessment Centre (NTAC), National Committee on Militancy Resistance and Prevention (NCMRP), Border Control Committee (BCC) and the Crisis Management Committee.
All suspected Islamic and militant organisations are under strict watch. Those involved in  subversive activities may face ban, the sources stated.  The organisations facing ban are Ulama Anjuman Al Bayenaat, Islamic Democratic Party, Islam o Muslim, Allar Dal, Towhidi Trust, Amiuddin Bangladesh, Bishwa Islamic Front, Harkat-e-Islam Al Jihad, Muslim Millat Sharifa Council, Dawate Islam, Joishey Mostafa of Bangladesh and Hizbullah Islami Somaj.
The government has already banned five militant organisations: Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Jamaatul Mujahideen of Bangladesh (JMB) and its offshoot Jagrata Muslim Janata, Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) and Shahadat-e-Al Hikma.
According to the sources, 30 militant and extremist organisations active across the country are Zadid Al Quida, Hijbut Tahrir, Allar Dal, Joishey Mohammad, Warat Islamic Front, Hijbeh Abu Omor, Jamaatul Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB), Harkatul Jihad (Huji), Jaamatul Falaiya, Bishwa Islamic Front, Shahadat-e-Nobuyot, Al Zihad of Bangladesh, Jamayat Assadat, Horkat-e-Islam Al Zihad, Muslim Millat Sharifa Council, World Islamic Front for Zihad, Hizbul Masadi, Islamic Dawati Kafela, Al Islam Marhutas Brigade, Dawate Islam, Tanzim, Ijbe-Abu Omar, Al Harat Al Islamia, Joishey Mostafa of Bangladesh, Al Khidmot, Hizbullah Islami Somaj, Dawate Islam, R-Kuds and the Biplobi Communist Party.