According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation the
definition of terrorism is “the unlawful use of force and violence against
persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian
population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social
objectives.”
And in this manner the nation of Bangladesh in no stranger
to terrorism both inside and outside her borders, In 2005 bombs were detonated
simultaneously in 63 of Bangladesh’s 64 provinces and in 2004 an attack was
made on the then former prime minister Sheikh Hasina while she conducted a
rally in Dhaka. It resulted in the death of 21 of her party supporters,
including party women’s secretary, Ivy Rahman. Many other attacks have also
been made by radical Islam parties as well as leftist parties in Bangladesh
(most notably the Left Wing Extremists) that have killed many people over the
years.
Currently terrorism in is not as significant in Bangladesh
as it is in her neighboring countries, however it does not mean that the country
goes unscathed. Terrorism is a serious impediment to the national growth
and development, which has become an almost vital process in Bangladesh due to
the bleak economic situation the country faces. Terrorism also creates drifts
and disunion between the members of society, most notably among the minority
groups; furthermore it adversely affects the entire South Asian region in all
aspects. Therefore the government of Bangladesh realizing that terrorism being
a serious threat not only to the nation itself, but also to both regional peace
and stability, have taken many steps to combat and prevent it. With regard to
information sharing among member nations of SAARC, the United Nations Counter
Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED) in association with the
government of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute organized a
workshop that brought together working level law enforcement experts of the
South Asian region as well as SAARC observer nations, where they discussed and
exchanged information on the latest
available technologies and techniques of investigation etc. these discussions
were facilitated by the INTERPOL, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Jakarta
Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC), the UN Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the government of Australia. In a
meeting held In New Delhi, both the Indian and Bangladeshi governments,
emphasized on the importance of sustained cooperation and suggested a real time
exchange of information between its security agencies, in addition to the
already existing system of information sharing between the BSF and BDR. Also
meetings between the two governments were held in Dhaka on several occasions,
where they vowed to tackle cross border terrorism, and to eliminate any
terrorism within their respective countries against the other etc. They also
sought to develop a highly efficient system for information sharing between the
two nations so as to successfully combat terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations.
Reiterating the thoughts of home minister, Sahara Khatun,
who emphasized the importance of a mutual sincerity in commitment to engage in
regional cooperation so as to successfully and completely combat terrorism; it
is crucial that all member and observer nations of SAARC realize that the best
and only way to eliminate any and all forms of terrorism in the south Asian
region is through cooperation. In sharing information between member nations we
not only open many doors to a future free of violence, but we enable ourselves
to share better and improved relations with each other, thereby ensuring a
future filled with peace and prosperity for
the entire region.
photo source: http://www.corbisimages.com/
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