Undermining opposition fuels rise in terrorism

US intel chief tells Senate committee about Bangladesh

The Bangladesh government is continuously making its efforts to undermine the political opposition that is likely to help the trans-national terrorist groups to expand their presence in Bangladesh, United States National Intelligence chief has said.
Bangladesh government’s continuing efforts to undermine the political opposition in Bangladesh will probably provide openings for trans-national terrorist groups to expand their presence in the country, said James R Clapper, Director of National Intelligence.
He was testifying at an open hearing on ‘Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community’ organised by the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in Washington on Tuesday.
“Hasina and other government officials have insisted publically that the killings of foreigners are the work of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami political parties and are intended to discredit the government,” he said.
However, the National Intelligence chief said, “ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) claimed responsibility for 11 high-profile attacks on foreigners and religious minorities.”
“Other extremists in Bangladesh—including Ansarullah Bangia Team and al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)—have claimed responsibility for killing at least 11 progressive writers and bloggers in Bangladesh since 2013,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Bangladesh Ambassador to US Mohammad Ziauddin met with US Congressman Sander M Levin (D-Michigan) on Tuesday and claimed that Dhaka pursues a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against extremism and terrorism.  
During the meeting, according to a press release issued by the Bangladesh embassy in Washington, they discussed issues of mutual interests including duty free-quota free (DFQF) access of Bangladeshi products to the US market.
Levin is the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over all tax, trade and economic growth policies and entitlement spending, including social security, medicare, welfare and unemployment compensation.  While discussing the present government’s ongoing crackdown on religious extremists, Ambassador Ziauddin said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed “zero tolerance” against all forms of extremism and terrorism and that she is personally committed to uproot extremism and terrorism from the soil of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is working closely with its neighbours and the US in eliminating extremism and terrorism within its border and beyond, he said.
The envoy also informed the congressman that the present government put high priority on women empowerment and education including on modern madrassa education.
He said that 90 per cent of four million workers in the RMG industry are women and that these women have stepped out of their homes and are contributing to poverty alleviation, literacy, and above all weakening extremism and reinforcing government efforts to eliminate extremism and terrorism.
In a way, women are transforming the society into a progressive one, which is a solution to rid the country of all forms of extremism and radicalisation, said the ambassador.
He also said that Bangladeshi products should enjoy DFQF access to the US market.

Undermining opposition fuels rise in terrorism

US intel chief tells Senate committee about Bangladesh

The Bangladesh government is continuously making its efforts to undermine the political opposition that is likely to help the trans-national terrorist groups to expand their presence in Bangladesh, United States National Intelligence chief has said. Bangladesh governments continuing efforts to undermine the political opposition in Bangladesh will probably provide openings for trans-national terrorist groups to expand their presence in the country, said James R Clapper, Director of National Intelligence. He was testifying at an open hearing on Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community organised by the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in Washington on Tuesday. Hasina and other government officials have insisted publically that the killings of foreigners are the work of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami political parties and are intended to discredit the government, he said. However, the National Intelligence chief said, ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) claimed responsibility for 11 high-profile attacks on foreigners and religious minorities. Other extremists in Bangladeshincluding Ansarullah Bangia Team and al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)have claimed responsibility for killing at least 11 progressive writers and bloggers in Bangladesh since 2013, he added. Meanwhile, in a separate development, Bangladesh Ambassador to US Mohammad Ziauddin met with US Congressman Sander M Levin (D-Michigan) on Tuesday and claimed that Dhaka pursues a zero tolerance policy against extremism and terrorism. During the meeting, according to a press release issued by the Bangladesh embassy in Washington, they discussed issues of mutual interests including duty free-quota free (DFQF) access of Bangladeshi products to the US market. Levin is the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over all tax, trade and economic growth policies and entitlement spending, including social security, medicare, welfare and unemployment compensation. While discussing the present governments ongoing crackdown on religious extremists, Ambassador Ziauddin said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed zero tolerance against all forms of extremism and terrorism and that she is personally committed to uproot extremism and terrorism from the soil of Bangladesh. Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is working closely with its neighbours and the US in eliminating extremism and terrorism within its border and beyond, he said. The envoy also informed the congressman that the present government put high priority on women empowerment and education including on modern madrassa education. He said that 90 per cent of four million workers in the RMG industry are women and that these women have stepped out of their homes and are contributing to poverty alleviation, literacy, and above all weakening extremism and reinforcing government efforts to eliminate extremism and terrorism. In a way, women are transforming the society into a progressive one, which is a solution to rid the country of all forms of extremism and radicalisation, said the ambassador. He also said that Bangladeshi products should enjoy DFQF access to the US market.