US official praises govt’s emphasis on secularism

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Dhaka

Thursday, 02 June 2011

Author / Source : DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT

DHAKA, JUNE 1: Bangladesh government’s emphasis on secular Bengali ideologies and pluralism is working as a deterrence of extremism in the country, said Lisa Curtis, a senior research fellow of US-based Heritage Foundation on Tuesday. She made the remarks at a roundtable on ‘US Foreign Policy in South Asia’ organised by the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) at its conference room.
BEI president Farooq Sobhan presided over the programme where Curtis, the keynote speaker of the roundtable, replied a volley of questions from the audience predominantly on US-Pakistan relations.
“The government is doing a lot of things in fighting extremism. It is emphasising on secular Bengali ideologies and pluralism,” said Curtis, when Farooq Sobhan asked her to advice Bangladesh so that the country did not become target of extremists, like happened with Pakistan.
In this context, she also said that the Bangladesh military did not seem to have any support for the extremist groups as alleged in case of Pakistan military. “Bangladesh is perceived as a liberal democratic pluralist nation by the US,” she said, adding that leadership and unity in Bangladesh would contribute to combating poverty and extremism.
About the US-Pakistan relations, Curtis said that Pakistani military’s alleged policy of supporting terrorists and Osama bin Laden living under the army’s nose had resulted in a negative perception of the military of the country. People got nervous about the nuclear weapons of Pakistan after the attack on the naval base in Karachi, she said, adding that Pakistan should be doing more to combat terrorism.
Curtis, however, said that US aid to Pakistan should continue.
On US’s relationship with India and China, she said that President Obama’s visit to India last year had marked a new initiative of US foreign policy in Asia.
India is weary of Pakistan-China relationship, Curtis said, adding that competition between India and China on economic and maritime issues as well as border skirmishes hade frayed relations.
US has encouraged China to have closer ties with India as an alternative to their relationship with Pakistan, she added.
BEI vice-president and former Bangladesh ambassador to US Humayun Kabir said, “We welcome US support in counter terrorism. But, Bangladesh can expect more support from US in socioeconomic development.”
The roundtable was attended, among others, by Debopriya Bhattachariya, editor of Daily Sun Dr Syed Anwar Hossain, Dhaka University professor Shahiduzzaman, former inspector general of police Nurul Huda and senior government officials.