Bangladesh's emergence as a new hub of terrorism is giving anxious moments to the Indian Government, which has been fighting Pakistan-based terrorism for over two decades. Although Dhaka keeps denying the existence of any terrorist training camps on its soil, so far as the outside world is concerned, it is gearing up to fight the growing menace of Islamic fundamentalism and extremism which threaten its security. It has just promulgated a strict anti-terror law to give sharper teeth to its fight against the menace.

It was after stricter vigilance along the Indo-Pak border and fencing of most of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir that the ISI-backed jihadi organisation in Pakistan found it a little more difficult to cross over and commit acts of terror. The military regime then opened a second front in its proxy war through the Indo-Bangladesh border, which remains highly porous. As part of the Bangladeshi Para-military forces also came under the influence of the Islamists, Pakistan found it easy to finance the fundamentalist organizations and to motive them to train and send volunteers across the border to India to commit acts of terror. The issue of several terrorist organizations finding sanctuary inside Bangladesh has figured at each meeting of the two countries where security related issues were discussed, but Dhaka's response was always negative.

Even after executing half-a-dozen prominent leaders of extremist organizations, who were found guilty of terrorist activities, Bangladesh has not got rid of the problem. In fact, the biggest Islamist organisation -- jamaat-i-Islami -- was a coalition partner in the previous Khaleda Zia Government and used its presence in government to spread its activities throughout the country. The perpetrators of terrorist acts in parts of south-east Asia belonging to the Al Qaeda were also traced to Bangladesh and international pressure started to mount to smash the network.

Some recent bomb blasts in Jaipur, Varanasi and other places clearly point to the hand of the Bangladesh-based organizations, including the Harkat-ul-jihad-Islami (HUJI). Two of its activists were recently arrested from Varanasi and Delhi and, one of them, Babu Bhai alias Jalaluddin gave some details of the HUJI network in India and the bomb blasts for which it was responsible. A large quantity of RDX was also recovered from them. They have confirmed that the terror network in India is widespread and covers almost every state. The terror outfits have established liaison with some Indian extremist organizations, such as, SIMI in order to provide temporary sanctuary to the mercenaries in Indian cities. The failure to curb terrorism was one of the main election issues of the Bhartiya Janata Party during the Karnataka Assembly elections.

Bangladesh's new anti-terror law is welcome, but New Delhi hopes that toughness will mark Dhaka's approach to demolishing the sanctuaries of Indian terror outfits and ISI-sponsored terrorist training camps on its soil. Indian Security Agencies believe that Moulvi Bazar is emerging as the biggest training centre for terrorists. It figures prominently in the revised list of 117 such camps which the Border Security Force handed to the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) at the recent border coordination conference. Nearly a quarter of the total camps are located in Maulvi Bazar and the rest in Habibganj, Khagrachari, Bangamati, Chittagong and Sylhet districts. The Mauvi Bazar camps are mostly used by HUJI and ISI-backed outfits to train and arm extremists for action in India. The rest provide sanctuary, as well as, training to the insurgent outfits operating in the northeast -- United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur.

The Indian agencies have provided the lists on the basis of their own intelligence, as well as, information provided by the terrorists arrested along the border and deep inside India. Though the number of camps has come down from 141 to 117 in the last two years, but they still pose a threat to India's security. By allowing anti-India terror outfits to operate freely in the country, Bangladesh has encouraged fundamentalism and terrorism which now menaces its security. The new anti-terror law gives the government power to arrange quick trial of terrorist-related cases through fast-track tribunals and provides death penalty or life imprisonment for those convicted.

Though primary responsibility for apprehending terrorists rests with governments of states bordering Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Central Government is involved because border protection is the responsibility of its paramilitary forces, such as, BSF. The West Bengal police admit that the frequency of arrests of people trying to across the border illegally is very high. One cannot rule out the possibility of militants using these very routes to enter India. Several dozen activists of HUJI, Lashkar and Hizbul Mujahideen were caught trying to cross over form Bangladesh last year.

According to intelligence sources, of the Bangladeshis who entered India on valid documents, more than 200,000 have not returned home. This has raised the demand in India to round up all illegally staying Bangladeshis and put them in camps before their repatriation to Bangladesh. Though the BJP has been using this issue to criticize the UPA Government, during the six years that it was in power at the Centre, it did not extradite a single Bangladeshi illegal immigrant. Bangladesh has featured prominently, either as a transit point, or as a training centre or asylum for terrorists belonging to various outfits and operating in several countries, including some in Southeast Asia.

Overall, the magnitude of trafficking in Bangladesh has increased over the years. Trafficking, apart from women and girls, also embraces organized immigration of jobseekers and terrorists smuggled in the garb of ordinary civilians. It is hoped that the present military-backed interim administration, which has signaled its intention to act against terrorists trying to disturb peace and security, will show the same seriousness in addressing Indian concerns over the presence of terror outfits which are mainly directed against India.

The denial mode of the Bangladesh Government has undergone no change from the previous civilian government to the present military-backed interim administration which is in charge till the next elections take place and democracy in restored. The basic thing is that a change is needed in the mindset of those ruling in Dhaka so that, rather than taking affront to Indian allegations, they offer full cooperation in tackling this menace which has plagued the sub-continent. The announcement of the Chief adviser, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed that a "meaningful" democratic system will be introduced through "free, fair, impartial and acceptable" national elections towards the end of the year, has been widely welcomed.

However, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Moeen U Ahmed has made it clear that the two main parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, will have to fight the elections without their leaders Sheikh Hasina and Begun Khaleda Zia, both of whom face corruption charges. It would be a "disgrace" if the two are allowed to lead their parties if convicted of corruption after the trials which are underway. Corruption must be rooted out to save democracy and the people should find honest and competent candidates for the next election, he says.

Bangladesh is at a crossroads of transition of an epochal proportion in the political domain, argues Bangladesh's High Commissioner in India Liaquat Ali Chaudhary. The recent initiatives taken to improve the system of governance created conditions for transparent and accountable decision making process, primacy of democratic values of tolerance, moderation and cooperation amongst the main actors in the country's political arena. The people are hopeful that success in effecting this transition will enable Bangladesh to realize its full potential in an environment of peace, stability and continuous progress.

Dhaka asserts that the people's attachment to a syncretic tradition and total opposition to any form of extremism makes it confident that Bangladeshis shall not succumb to any sort of disruption and upheavals which are taking place in many parts of the world. It is a country firmly wedded to the ideals of moderation and a pluralistic orientation in all matters guiding various priorities. The inherent strength of such an approach would help the country stay on course and achieve the very best for the people.

Source - NPA

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