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Good in-depth Boston Review article on Islamism vs secularism in Bangladesh. Secularist trends driven by Bengali nationalism are strong, but as the two main political parties are increasingly discredited by corruption and now a semi-coup by the Army, the comparatively clean Islamists are slowly rising.
Moderator's Note
Thread title changed (march 2013) from 'Revolution: The Islamist Challenge to Secular Bangladesh to Bangladesh' to 'Bangladesh: Secular - v- Islamist?'
Strategic Insights, Jun 07:
Democracy in Bangladesh: From Fragility to Collapse?
Quote:
The events that have been unfolding since Prime Minister Khaleda Zia completed her five-year term in October 2006 have farther-reaching implications for democracy in Bangladesh than normally recognized. The rapidly changing political atmosphere during the past few months has considerably damaged various democratic institutions in the country, especially the offices of the President, Prime Minister, Election Commission, as well as Caretaker Government.
By all accounts, the second Caretaker Government formed in January 2007 enjoys popular support for its actions against political corruption. At the same time, the Caretaker Government has exceeded the limited mandate and tenure set by the Constitution, and has usurped powers that only an elected government could carry forward. It has emerged as a benign dictatorship and is trying to consolidate democracy through actions that do not conform with democratic norms.
As the following analysis will highlight, every major institution in Bangladesh has proved to be inadequate to keep the country on the democratic path....
A series of "Of Interest" papers published by SSI:
Part I: The History, Rise, and Future of Islamic Fundamentalism in South AsiaQuote:
....This paper is about the history, rise and current state of Islamic fundamentalism in South Asia, the most populated region in the world and home to the largest concentration of Muslims on earth. There are over 1.5 billion people in South Asia, which includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
If one includes China, directly north, there are 2.7 billion people in this region, nearly one-half of the world’s population. South Asia is home to nearly one half of the world’s 1.2 billion Muslims. Nearly 30 percent of this region is Muslim.
From October 2006–March 2007, I traveled in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, countries I have worked in before as a journalist. I briefly visited Indian-administered Kashmir, where I had not been before. I had visited Pakistani-administered Kashmir in December 2005. Drawing on my own experiences in the past, I wanted to study the history and rise of Islamic fundamentalism and see where it is today.
This is a report on my trip and on my conversations with academics, activists, politicians, writers, and religious leaders in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Kashmir, and Bangladesh....
Part II: Afghanistan and Pakistan
Part III: Bangladesh
CSIS, 27 Oct 08: Islamic Radical Ideologies and South Asian Security: The Case of Bangladesh
Quote:
Sunni Muslim radicals, a violent and vocal minority, are responsible for the largest number of violent terrorist incidents in the world today. This trend is expected to continue for at least the next decade. South Asia, which is home to 28% of the world’s Muslim population, has been particularly badly hit by the activities of these radicals with the number of violent incidents and deaths in this region ranking second only to Iraq and the Middle East. These radicals are also substantially responsible for the destablilisation of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are now making a concerted effort to increase their influence Bangladesh, which along with the state of West Bengal in India, is home to 10% of the global Muslim population.....
A forthcoming event from the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project at CSIS & The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University:
Public Attitudes and Discontent: Extremism and Governance in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia
Quote:
This Thursday, January 29, 2009 from 4:00 – 5:30 pm at CSIS
4th Floor Conference Room
Presentation and discussion by:
Craig Charney, Ph.D., President, Charney Research
Lincoln Mitchell, Ph.D., Arnold A. Saltzman Assistant Professor in the Practice of International Affairs, Columbia University
Please join us for the release of a major new study detailing survey findings on public attitudes towards extremism and governance in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. The research is based on comprehensive, comparative nationwide surveys in three key Muslim states. The research explores public opinions on terrorism and extremism, the United States and its allies, and satisfaction with government performance, public services, and security forces
Discussion Followed by Reception
To RSVP, please contact Justine Fleischner at JFleischner@csis.org
The mass protests by young people in Dhaka have not been well reported here:Link:http://tehelka.com/in-concert-for-ba....OhWLBZnt.dpuf and a very general report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21626843Quote:
With a huge green and red flag of Bangladesh flying over their heads, they shouted slogans from the liberation war of 1971: “Joy Bangla” (Victory to Bengal); “Tumi ke? Aami ke? Bangalee Bangalee” (Who are you? Who am I? Bengali). They even added some of their own: “Amader ek hi dabi Razakar er fashi” (Our one demand, hang the Razakars); “Jamaat-e-Islami made in Pakistan”.
Shahbag Square is what you make of it. The world is calling it Bangladesh’s own Tahrir Square, some are claiming it is part of the Arab or Muslim Spring, Indians want to know if the Anna Hazare movement is an inspiration. In part, it is an assertion of secular values and an assault on religious fanatics; in part, it is the resurgence of nationalism among the youth.
Today the BBC reports disorder linked to the Islamac party:Link, which includes a very partial witness account:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21639831Quote:
Three people have been killed in Bangladesh after demonstrators protesting against the death sentence on an Islamist party leader clashed with police for a third day running.
Reuters says the death toll is up to 30 now.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...91R0AN20130228
Over at Brown Pundits they say the flight to India has accelerated.
Reuters says up to 60 dead now.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/0...lobalCoverage2
An OD article on the context for current events:http://www.opendemocracy.net/opensec...limate-of-fear
Incidentally illegally crossing the border with India can result in death; there is a border fence and para-military border guards.
The interesting thing about the way things appear to be setting up over there is you have Islamists, who believe Allah is on their side no matter what they do, vs. the relatives of people who were killed in 1971 who blame the Islamists for the deaths of their kin. They want some back. There doesn't seem to be room for compromise.
Putting this in perspective. There is a long history of violent clashes between the Awami League and BNP (to include BNP's ally and to some extent surrogate force JI). Most assessments indicate the Islamists (JI) represent a minority that is losing steam, but a minority in one of the most densely populated nations in the world is still millions of people and a serious security issue if mobilized to fight.
The BNP/JI appear to be losing steam politically, so it is only natural for them based on their philosophy to resort to extremism to stop the gradual (or not so gradual) liberalization of Bangladesh.
The current level of violence isn't bad relatively based on Bangladesh history. This type of violence is usually short lived, but often repeated (cycles). We won't be able to assess the seriousness of the current crisis until more time passes.
There are two parallel movements that are clashing. One is the anti-Islamist movement that the government and majority represent, and the other is the anti-liberalization Spring movement that the BNP and JI represent. The anti-liberalism movement has nothing to do with freeing oppressed peoples, instead those commiting the violence want to oppress the people of Bangladesh with their brand of Sharia law. One can hope PM Hasina successfully enforces the law in a way that contains the violence while still allowing peaceful protests and the democratic process to work.
Places like Bangladesh are a good bellweather to see whether Islamist extremism is gaining or waning.
I have only read a very few articles on this so access what I have to say with that in mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Moore
It seems it is an anti-Islamist rather than anti-Muslim movement. The really interesting thing is that the trump card the Islamists normally play, the holier than thou card is being vitiated. The two things that are doing that are personal vengeance and sort of an anti-collaborator sentiment. Those two things are a pretty powerful counter to the Islamists' normal arguments. When they say 'Allah is with me.' and are met with 'You collaborated with the Pak Army and killed my uncle.', they aren't so persuasive.
The demonstrators in Shahbag square don't want the Islamist leaders to lighten up, they want them dead, specific Islamist leaders to be killed. That seems a bit unusual.
Carl, good catch, that is not what I meant to write. Actually I was trying to capture the Islamist Movement as a non-liberal movement, but based on your comment I'll add the anti-Islamist movement because there are in fact two movements (neither of which are Springs, they have endured for decades). There is no anti-Muslim movement. I'll correct the post.Quote:
Originally Posted by carl
To your other point, I think a lot of people are realizing if these Islamist leaders aren't permanently removed they'll continue to be a threat to the safety who want to live their own lives without the extremists dictating what is right or wrong. The extremists feel completely justified pursuing their ends through acts of terror, shooting young girls for going to school, giving a woman who has been raped a 100 lashes because she had sex outside of marriage, and number of other obviously insanely stupid rules. I see nothing wrong with wanting them dead, I hope that movement gains steam.
I wonder if large numbers of people publicly wanting these guys dead in Bangladesh is because of historical and political factors unique to Bangladesh. I don't see it in many other places. For example what is being seen in Bangladesh would be impossible to see in Pakistan.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Moore
There is nothing much we can do about any of this now. The tragedy is we could have had a very real and positive effect if we had had any brains or backbone eight or ten years ago, or even five or six. All we had to do was be public about the what the Pak Army/ISI was doing and cut the money. But we were and are spineless dopes so we gave the devil the money to spawn and nurture a bloody fanged creature and now many will die because of that. One of the things that nourishes that bloody fanged creature is perception of weakness and when we complete our bug-out from Afghanistan it will grow like we haven't seen before. Maybe, maybe, it can be stopped in Bangladesh but it isn't being stopped in many other places.
Oh well, we were great once.
Bangladesh is on the roll.
It is becoming an economic powerhouse in its own way and the people are more keen for improvement of their lives than being held back with inconsequential issues, even though Islam is important in their private lives.
Bengalis are not the archetypal Muslims. While Islam continues to be important, the culture, language and tradition is equally important. That is why the Language Agitation of the 1950s (when Pakistan wanted to impose Urdu as the language) laid the seeds for the Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Jamaait has only 4% support and they have only 2 members in the Parliament. Yet, their clout in creating issues cannot be ruled out given that Saudi money sustain them and their Wahaabi fundamentalism.
Yet, it appears that the atrocities of the collaborators with the Pakistan Army in
East Pakistan still continues to haunt even the new generations, who were not born when the atrocities happened.
The Jamaait is an ally of the Opposition BNP, but the BNP apparently is caught in a bind.
One has to watch the scene in Bangladesh as it develops!
Ray:
The Islamists are not ones to yield or compromise. They have outside support.
The game can be played with great savagery in that part of the world and the situation in Bangladesh reminds me a little of the situation in Indonesia in the mid-60s. Do you think things will go that far?
The fundamentalists are not the one to give up easily and that is true.Quote:
Originally Posted by carl
That is why they have been able to worm back into the BD society.
Saudi money is playing a great role in BD with their backing these elements.
BNP (the Opposition) is led by the wife of an ex Pak Army officer and there will be some empathy for Pakistan.
What one is watching for, is how the BD army reacts.
The Army in BD, though is not that involved in governance as they are in Pakistan, yet they are but legatee of the Pak Army ethos in so far as organising coups is concerned.
Ray:
I know I am asking you to go out on a limb in replying to this, but I am interested in the view of an Indian military man.
Can the Islamists in Bangladesh be stopped without a lot of killing being done? That is why I asked about similarities to Indonesia. Do you think the Babgladesh army can or would do that?
I am a Bengali and my family roots emanate from East Bengal (then it became East Pakistan and now Bangladesh).Quote:
Originally Posted by carl
The Bengali Muslims are a different kettle of fish than the archetypal Muslim. While they are very strident about the religion, the majority are quite laid back. And unlike in other Muslim countries, the woman are empowered and do claim equal status as men in their families.
That is why it is not surprising to see two Women deciding the fate of Bangladesh ie. the present PM and the earlier one.
It may surprise many, but the Shahbag movement has been spearheaded by girls in the range of 20 and 22 years,namely Srabanti Akhtar Barsha (20), Lucky, Shaon and Pretilata. These girls are known as "Agni Kanya" (Girls on Fire).
As I see it, Bengalis are an emotional lot and get 'fired' up rather easily on emotive issues. It is interesting that most of those in the Shahbagh Movement were born many years after the Liberation of Bangladesh and so would not know of the atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army and their collaborators, namely the razakaars (or Jamaait). And yet, they are supporting the Bangladesh Supreme Court verdict giving death sentence to one and demanding that all the accused should be put to death.
It appears that, while on the surface, there was no such outcry so far, but then with the verdict, old memories (that were possibly handed down by those who suffered during the Liberation) have been stoked and hence the demand.
What has to be seen is the influence of the BNP (it is no pushover) to counter this movement since it is not to its interest in a political sense. BNP's ally, as one would recall is the Jamaait and which in turn is flush with Saudi Wahaabi money.
Can money win over and defeat the movement?
The Bangladesh Govt is considering banning the Jamaait.
Obviously, the sum total is very emotive on both sides of the spectrum.
And Bangladesh is no stranger to violent protests.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/18823838.cmsQuote:
Agni Kanyas fire youth revolution in Bangladesh
Meet Srabanti Akhtar Barsha, a 20-year-old Islamia College student who, along with other young women like Lucky, Shaon and Pritilata, has emerged as a symbol of youth revolution that has taken the country by storm. The venue is Dhaka's Shahbag Square. Rechistened Projonmo Chottor, it has spontaneously evolved into ground zero for youths demanding capital punishment for Razakars accused of genocide, rape and crimes during the 1971 Liberation War. They are also calling for a ban on fundamentalist parties like Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladeshi politics. Jamaat chief Delwar Hossain Sayedee is one of those convicted by the tribunal probing into the crimes four decades ago.
Initially sparked by blogs, it is the relentless sloganeering by the likes of Barsha and Lucky, christened 'Agni Kanya' or firebrand daughters by the country's media, that has kept the protest's tempo going for over a month now. The girls have been spending 18 hours a day — from 8am till 2 at night — at the square since February 5. But for these feisty women, all aged 20-22, the protests would have fizzled out like so many civil society movements have in the past. The Agni Kanyas have not only mobilized masses, they have ensured the media spotlight remains on Shahbag.
"Wrapping the Bangladeshi national flag as a bandana, the Agni Kanyas make for compelling images on TV. In them, viewers see a reflection of their own angst and aspirations. The future of Bangladesh — as a tolerant secular nation or an Islamist country — hinges on this movement," explained Munni Saha, a TV journalist based in Dhaka.
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/col...namics_1803256Quote:
After the 1971 Liberation war of Bangladesh, the governments of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh reached a tripartite agreement. One of the despicable results of this was the granting of clemency to some of the worst perpetrators of crimes against humanity in the last millennium. Some Bengali collaborators of the Pakistan forces indulged in mass-murders and rapes that have few parallels in recent memory. They have never faced the judicial process, until now.
The International War Crimes tribunal in Bangladesh has been pursuing some of the biggest leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Razakar, Al-Shams and Al-Badr militia — a process that has stupendous public support. One of the most hated of these characters, Kader Mollah, has been handed a life sentence and not a death sentence. This resulted in a protest assembly started by a bloggers and online activist network that was quickly joined by progressive and left-wing student organisations.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22418379
Riot police battle Islamists in Dhaka Bangladesh
Clearly our stale approach of man hunting individuals is not the way to fight this war. We focus on the trees while the forest consumes us. It is past time for the free world to rise up and stop apologizing to the Islamists.Quote:
Up to half a million protesters gathered in the city, where rioters set fire to shops and vehicles as police fought to contain them.
Thousands of activists from Hefajat-e-Islam blocked highways, isolating Dhaka from other parts of the country.
They are calling for those who insult Islam to face the death penalty.
http://www.sacw.net/article4445.html
There are multiple issues that offend these clowns, but the major one is they don't have the intellect to challenge what they see as offenses to their perverted interpretation of Islam, so like spoiled children they call for the death of the alleged insulters. It is time to stop tolerating this, they need to be treated like the common criminals they are. Keep the truth coming, if they want to fight then fight them. Don't become another Taliban like state.Quote:
Bangladesh has seldom experienced brute violence of this scale. Several parts in downtown Dhaka now resemble a burned-out and looted zone.
Thousands of radical Hefajat-e Islam men, instigated and bolstered by Jamaat-Shibir activists, exploded into an awe-striking force and set fire to hundreds of shops and police outposts as the evening descended.
Dhaka’s night skyline turned orange, as flames leaped from burning establishments after power supply was cut off. The Hefajat men forced into a parking lot at Dilkusha area and torched at least 50 government buses.
The affected areas were rocked with loud explosion of bombs thrown by Hefajat and Jamaat men, while police rained thousands of teargas shells and rubber bullets on the marauding Islamists.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2...413485449.html
.Quote:
Hefazat, a newly created radical religious group, is demanding the death penalty for all those who defame Islam.
It said it held the mass protest to push a 13-point list of demands which also include a ban on men and women mixing freely together and the restoration of pledges to Allah in the constitution
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...-jihad/100487/Quote:
Critics have branded Hefazat's demands as a charter for turning Bangladesh into a country like Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Women workers including female garment labourers have vented their anger at the group's call to segregate the sexes.
These European women, who have more sack than most of their male politicians, are calling a spade a spade and taking action based on an incident in Tunisia. Hopefully women will unite globally and address the larger issues and force our politicians to stop apologizing to some of the world's worst oppressors. This should be the beginning of the end for Islamists.
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...-jihad/100487/
Femen Stages a 'Topless Jihad'
Note the warning, the last link does have pictures of topless women protesting Islamists. God bless them.Quote:
Earlier today, members of Ukrainian feminist group Femen staged protests across Europe as they called for a "topless jihad." The demonstrations were in support of a young Tunisian activist named Amina Tyler. Last month, Tyler posted naked images of herself online, with the words "I own my body; it's not the source of anyone's honor" written on her bare chest. The head of Tunisia's "Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," reportedly called for Tyler to be stoned to death for her putatively obscene actions, lest they lead to an epidemic. Tyler has since gone quiet, leading some to fear for her safety. Below are images from Femen's protests today in Sweden, Italy, Ukraine, Belgium, and France. A warning, nearly every photo depicts nudity, and most contain offensive language. [31 photos]
This might be totally unrelated, but ideology is dead & the two most successful social movements among the World's urban poor are Conservative Islam & Pentecostalism.
The first makes all the news headlines, while the second does not.
Trust me, I come from Nigeria (land of Boko Haram), the narrative of conservative Islam resonates with the urban poor & there is nothing middle class secularists have that can rival it.
We've seen it in Egypt, Iraq, Syria - virtually anywhere with a large number of poor Muslims. That is the reality - and it is scary.
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=207014Quote:
Bangladesh bans visas for Pakistanis putting trade ties in danger
“Yes, the Dhaka has placed the ban on issuance of its visas to Pakistanis on account of the allegations according to which Pakistan is sending some elements in the disguise of businessmen, journalists, intellectuals who are found in abetting the sentiments of Jihad in Bangladesh,” a senior official at commerce ministry confided to Pakistan Observer.......
The sources said that Bangladesh took this decision just because of the perpetual penetration of some people which are playing unscrupulous role in fomenting the sentiment of Bangladeshi masses for Jihad putting the peace of the country at stake. “They are also involved in objectionable activities which are against the interests of the country,” the official told quoting the concerns of Bangladesh.
An article on 'Open Democracy' that offers a different, non-MSM viewpoint on recent events and opens with:Link:http://www.opendemocracy.net/opensec...out-of-controlQuote:
On May 5th an anti-government protest took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, followed by an overnight sit-in. It was met with extreme brutality by the government's security forces. Organised by Hefazat-e-Islam (Protection of Islam), an apolitical group drawn from the independent conservative religious establishment, the rally was a response to, and in some ways mirrored, the Shahbag spectacle that began in February. The latter provoked the ire of the religious establishment when some of its leaders were accused of defaming Islam, the faith of up to 90% of their fellow citizens. Despite a state clamp down on media coverage, and the government’s denial of casualties, evidence of a massacre on May 5th has emerged. The ruthless violence that met the demonstration raises serious concerns for Bangladesh's moderate image and future.
Bangladesh opposition clean sweeps key city elections
http://beta.dawn.com/news/1018630/ba...city-electionsQuote:
The centre-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won by big margins in the major cities of Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Barisal, Election Commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP.......
Analysts said the results reflected a nationwide erosion of support for the ruling Awami League party six months ahead of general elections, while the growing influence of Islamists who backed the BNP after their traditional parties did not contest contributed to the huge margins of victory......
“Many people believe this government is anti-Islamic and they did not like the way government aggressively cracked down on the Islamists in recent months,” Rahman added.
Leading Islamists including the entire leadership of Jamaat-i-Islami have been tried by the country's much criticised war crime court that is probing the atrocities committed during Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence.
Why? Simple:Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25356034Quote:
Bangladesh has executed the Islamist leader Abdul Kader Mullah, who was convicted of atrocities in the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan....Mullah was a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party. His trial earlier in the year sparked protests from Jamaat supporters.....Jamaat-e-Islami - which had called the execution politically motivated and warned it would avenge his death - called for a general strike on Sunday.
Bangladeshi Islamists (possibly backed by mentors in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia) are using attacks on atheist bloggers a wedge issue. Will they succeed?
http://brownpundits.blogspot.com/201...-issue-in.html
"...By going after atheist bloggers (many or most of them Hindus), they have found a near perfect wedge issue. The Hasina government is not happy with these blasphemers being killed, and unlike in Pakistan, the regime seems to have made some arrests. But if they take a very public stand against these killings and aggressively protect the rights of these free-thinkers, then they stand with atheists and blasphemers and risk losing the support of "moderate Muslims" who don't go in for machete-wielding execution, but whose core beliefs include the belief that atheism and apostasy cannot be tolerated....But if the Hasina government lets this go on, then they permit the Islamists to grab the initiative and drive away atheists, secularists and Hindus...all of whom are more or less her voters and supporters (and whose friends and supporters are also the "intellectuals" of the Awami League regime). At a minimum, it is an uncomfortable position for the regime.
...
Can Bangladeshi secularism (meaning in practice, the Awami League regime, there being no other secular alternative on the horizon) defeat this rather well-chosen point of attack? Maybe they can (in which case the Islamists will have gambled and lost and the secular cause will emerge stronger than before). But it is a big if...If they lose, Bangladesh is in play again as a possible Islamist base in Eastern India. The Islamists know what they are up to..."
Two foreigners, an Italian and Japanese were recently murdered in Bangladesh, and in both cases the Islamic State took credit. There also was the recent killings of a couple of secular bloggers. We could be witnessing the emergence of a downward trend in the world's third largest Muslim country.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/1...0RX0JJ20151003
Islamic State claims responsibility for killing Japanese man in Bangladesh
Islamic State claimed responsibility for shooting a Japanese man in Bangladesh on Saturday, the second foreign national it says it has killed there within a week, and threatened more such attacks.
http://thediplomat.com/2015/09/bangl...and-democracy/
Bangladesh on the Brink: Between Terrorism and Democracy
The article goes on to recommend the need to intervene with assistance before the problem is unmanageable. Do we have either the foresight or means to engage left of bang to help prevent major problems there? Problems that will almost certainly spill over their borders.Quote:
The third largest Muslim country in the world, Bangladesh has a national identity stemming from a heritage of moderate Sunni Islam and a historical tradition of tolerance and pluralism. With a per capita income of just $1,080, Bangladesh is ranked among the poorest countries in the world, yet it has sustained a democratic tradition since independence (although interspersed with several military coups). Bangladesh’s blend of moderate Islam with a secular-oriented, democratic state could serve as a model for the region.
Yet Bangladesh is also threatened by a rising tide of radical Islamist violence that has its roots in both the struggle for independence and a more recent wave of radicalized violence. For a relatively small diplomatic investment, the international community could help to deny radical Islamist groups a safe haven in South Asia and preserve a moderate Islamic democracy, by encouraging a negotiated settlement between the main political parties, working with the government of Bangladesh to root out terrorist organizations before they are able to metastasize, and providing protection for progressive media voices that are increasingly being targeted by terrorists.
A little dated (only 2014), but still a good summary of terrorist and extremist groups in Bangladesh at the following link.
http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/.../view/348/html
Bangladesh: an Emerging Centre for Terrorism in Asia
Abstract
Added by Moderator: there is an old thread, which started in 2007 and maybe useful now:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=3015Quote:
This Research Note examines the political developments that have occurred in Bangladesh in 2013 and explores how these have fed into the rise of religious militancy. The ongoing conflicts not only intensify the instability and schisms within the country, but also illustrate that there is a rise in religious militancy that the country can ill afford at this juncture. Furthermore, it highlights how some members of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the United States and United Kingdom have been recruited by al-Qaeda and its affiliates to plot mass casualty attacks. Significantly, it is argued that all these threads are tied together because of the murky role of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (JEI), which is Bangladesh’s largest religious political party. A further deterioration of Bangladesh’s democracy and political stability could create additional space within which Islamist militants may be increasingly free to operate not just for domestic terrorist activity but for preparing internationals plots as well.
Bill,
I can understand your concerns, but would argue this passage is wrong:We need to consider how Bangladeshi and its people would react to such an intervention assistance? Are we being asked to help by all parties or just those in power now. How will the enemies of democracy plus, labelled as "extremists" react? Another Western intervention, even more so if seen and portrayed as just being the US & Western Europe.Quote:
The article goes on to recommend the need to intervene with assistance before the problem is unmanageable. Do we have either the foresight or means to engage left of bang to help prevent major problems there? Problems that will almost certainly spill over their borders.
I have a vague recollection that the 'Rapid Action Battalion' cited by the author as bad was externally trained for CT work. Did an earlier assistance help to create this bad / problem?
If intervention assistance was to be given it must be requested, preferably by the two main political parties and provided by NGOs, not the "West". Perhaps there is a role for the Commonwealth?
David,
Intervention is probably not a good word choice, it has connotations that are not helpful. The appropriate word is assistance, but this gets tricky due to the endemic corruption in the country. A lot of the violence is politically motivated between the two main political parties. How to do you assist in a way that targets the growing extremism without supporting one of the political parties? UK, US, China, India, and others have been providing various forms of assistance over the years. Most of it focused on economic development. Bangladesh security forces, to include the RAB which you discussed, have demonstrated some proficiency in getting after the terrorist threat. Unfortunately,they often conflate getting after terrorists and getting after political opponents as the same thing :(, which creates a tension that limits how much assistance the West will provide.
All that said, standing by and potentially allowing radical Islam to grow (it has always been there), potentially exponentially, threatens our economic (regional instability) and security interests. I'm not proposing any solutions in this or the previous post, but rather pointing out the potential risk. A risk best dealt with sooner rather than later. Cheers!
The low-level Jihadist campaign in Bangladesh now appears to have taken an ISIS "turn", although labelled as "militants", with an attack on a cafe in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter, taking Westerners hostage and many deaths when the military - the Rapid Action Battalion - to the fore.
Links:https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ttack-hostages
The BBC cites the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on an act during Ramadan:Plus:Quote:
It was an extremely heinous act.....What kind of Muslims are these people? They don't have any religion. My government is determined to root out terrorism and militancy from Bangladesh.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36692613Quote:
Over the past three years, more than 40 people have been killed in Bangladesh by suspected Islamists. But the attacks mostly targeted individuals - secular bloggers, writers, activists, academics and members of religious minorities. The attack on the cafe was on a different scale. It seems to have been well planned and well co-ordinated.
A BBC analyst adds:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36692741
Some thoughts on the logic behind the Islamist campaign in Bangladesh
http://brownpundits.blogspot.com/201...-issue-in.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...bangladeshi-e/
Another source I can't place here because it was based on a phone call, stated the captured terrorist indicated it was becoming a fad for college kids to associate with the Islamic State.Quote:
"They are all Bangladeshis. They are from rich families, they have good educational background," said Asaduzzaman Khan, the country's home minister, of the gunmen.
Regardless, these kids weren't motivated by poverty or not having jobs. They were well do to kids. In some ways this reminds me of many who join far left militant groups or protests, and then when they're interviewed they prove they have no knowledge (except for a limited number) of what they're fighting for, or what they're protesting against, it is just something cool to do. We tend to ignore the psychological aspects when we focus on the political factors, which at times can be a red herring.
Aren't the higher strata of Arab society also overreppresented in the rank of the Daesh? Maybe somebody has some study at hand...Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Moore
Obviously that vile murder of foreigners, among them many Italians will have a negative effect on the economy.
*On a side note a distant relative of mine was a Catholic priest in Bangladesh during British Rule. Another, more distant one was murdered in China over a hundred years ago while serving as Franciscan friar. Nothing new under the sun...
There have been studies pointing this out, but it doesn't fit our popular narrative about addressing underlying issues related to poverty and governance. Those factors generally play a large role in insurgencies, and at times this type of terrorism and insurgencies overlap, but it is not a one size fits all.
There is a short thread Poverty & Militancy do not mix, from 2012-2015:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=16304
This may help readers.
A good backgrounder on simmering, often violent Bangladesh:http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2016/07...-first-attack/
Bangladesh: The New Nexus for Transnational Terrorism
Entry Excerpt:
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A background article on Islamist terrorism in Bangladesh, by Professor Christine Fair, which contains several warnings that despite a "crack down" the omens are not good, e.g. women suicide bombers. Plus a few passages on the Rohingya problem.
Link:http://lawfareblog.com/political-isl...-you-need-know
Given the size of its population there are strategic reasons to watch developments.