Indo-Bangla cooperation to combat militancy
Bangladesh and India
can eliminate terrorism and militancy through bilateral understanding and intelligence sharing
In a welcome development Bangladesh and India have agreed to use common information platform to combat terrorism. Terrorism is a threat to both the neighbouring countries and their cooperation in fighting the menace is helpful to the region at large. We believe that India and Bangladesh have to be vigilant at all times and channelise efforts to defeat militancy ensure peace, security and prosperity in the two countries. The growing radicalisation in Bangladesh not just threatens the countrys current
secular-democratic dispensation and development endeavours, it has serious implications for the regions peace and security.
It is hardly a secret that several Bangladeshi militant outfits, including Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen-Bangladesh (JMB) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) share a common agenda with international jihadi groups like al-Quida and IS. India which shares a long and porous border with Bangladesh is naturally worried about the cross-border ramifications of any violent attacks unleashed by the jihadi forces in Bangladesh. Even previously India assured Bangladesh of providing information immediately if they get any information on militancy.
Terrorism as such affects almost all the countries of region and has been a stumbling block for the economy as much manpower and resources have to be allocated to tackle the menace. This is where bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation among the countries of the SAARC region to tackle terrorism can be of immense benefit to all the stakeholders. This is, however, not to say that efforts are not on to overcome the tentacles of terrorism on a country-to-country basis. However, with technical innovations, the terrorists too have made forays that were considered impossible in the past. Hence, the threats look sinister unless there is a sustained and coordinated move at their annihilation.
Bangladesh is cognizant of the reality that for checking cross-border terrorism mutual cooperation with India is essential and vice versa. With the open border that exists between the two countries, it is necessarily a tough task to boost trans-border security, but given the will and cooperation to do so it can be done. For this, it becomes necessary to strengthen the border security arrangements, which has been agreed upon during the home secretarial meet of the two countries. The assurance of necessary steps to be taken in the future makes sense in that both countries stand to benefit through the arrangement. The modalities, however, has to take up as per the severity of each element.
Bangladesh and India can eliminate terrorism and insurgency through bilateral understanding and intelligence sharing.
