{UAH} The Source Of Bangladesh's Terror Problems: Its State of Denial
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FOR ATTENTION OF JABBY ALI
The Source Of Bangladesh's Terror Problems: Its State of Denial
In theory, it is possible anywhere on this planet plagued by savagery
of fanatics like al-Qaeda and Islamic State. To Bangladeshis, a
hostage scenario remained implausible– something that appeared on the
TV screens or newspapers. But that changed in Friday evening.
Terrorists armed with guns, hand grenades, and swords stormed into a
restaurant in Dhaka's upscale Gulshan area. They reportedly chanted
"God is great" as they opened fire, exploded improvised devices, and
took hostage at gunpoint diners and restaurant staffs. Few were lucky
as they jumped off the roof and fled the scene. Most were not. A total
of twenty hostages were killed. Of them, two were Bangladeshi, seven
Japanese, one Indian, nine Italian, and one U.S. citizen. Authorities
said the hostages were slaughtered before the commandos raided Holey
Artisan Bakery, popular among Dhaka's expatriates for its great food,
excellent service, and immaculately-mowed green lawn, which is a
rarity in the sprawling metropolis.
An elite security force launched their assault almost eleven hours
after the hostage crisis began. Having being instructed to resolve the
crisis peacefully and with minimal damage, the security force
attempted to establish a communication channel with the perpetrators
to learn their demands. But it was rendered unsuccessful. Clearly, the
attackers wanted to commit a massacre. The very nature of this
attack—the timing, weapons, location, victims, and extreme
brutality—reveals that it was done with sophisticated preparation
matched only by attacks carried out by global terrorist outfits.
The Islamic State (IS) reportedly claimed responsibility. By one
account, it is Islamic State's nineteenth attack in Bangladesh.
However, Friday's attack is very different from most of the previous
attacks claimed by the IS. Previously, victims were attacked
individually with the exception of a Shi'a mosque in which IS hurled
bombs, killing one person. Other incidents include killing of
religious minorities by hacking them with machetes.
Even before the Islamic State's name surfaced in recent terror acts in
Bangladesh, al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Bangladesh claimed their
involvement in killings of those are perceived to be critical of
Islam. Because the majority of the slain people are bloggers, the
disturbing trend came to be known as 'blogger killings'. The
Bangladeshi government, however, never entertained any suggestion that
links international terrorist groups to these gruesome murders and
labeled these as the sleight-of-hand of local groups.
An armored personnel carrier takes position during the rescue
operation in Holey Artisan Bakery. (Faiham Ebna Sharif/Getty Images)
For some time, the public thought there would be no harm to them
unless they publicly criticized Islam and came under the wrath of the
Islamist fanatics. Soon it proved to be folly. The Islamic State
started to butcher innocent people from different strata. Over the
past three years, dozens of people have been killed in attacks, most
of them are said to have been carried out by Islamists groups.
The series of killings is unsettling. Worse, perpetrators of most of
the killings are still at large. Unnerved bloggers or the associates
of those killed left the country. Those who could not went
underground, living a life of self-imposed imprisonment. It is not a
good option, yet better than being constantly haunted by the fear of
death. The government, however, offered a probable solution: exercise
self-restraint. Prime Minister Hasina asked: "If anyone writes filthy
words against our religion, why should we tolerate that?" Statements
like this frustrate many people as the government seems to lack the
political will to solve this problem once and for all.
In an attempt to identify who are committing these crimes, the
government has often offered contradictory propositions ranging from
the evil nexus of the opposition parties to those envious of the
government's successes to even the Israeli intelligence agency,
Mossad. However, this theory is more or less consistent: cadres of the
opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its chief political
ally Jamaat-e-Islami, once the largest Islamist party in
Bangladesh—are secretly killing people, first to stop the execution of
war criminals of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971 and second to
unseat the government.
It is true that the flawed past of both the BNP and Jamaat does not
afford them any sympathy. That said, it is hard to believe that the
parties have the organizational strength to subvert the Hasina
premiership. Both parties suffered a massive political blow after they
boycotted the general election in 2014 because they were not certain
if the election would be fair unless it was administered by a neutral,
non-partisan interim government. An opposition-less election
essentially turned it to a one-sided election. Sheikh Hasina's Awami
League party came to power in a landslide.
Next, both the BNP and Jamaat resorted to street agitation and
violence in an attempt to show their muscle. The government quelled
this agitation and another wave of bloody protests on the first
anniversary of the Awami League government in 2015. Meanwhile, the
government gained enough political capital to not offer any concession
to the opposition. If the Awami League turned to the negotiation table
for a fresh inclusive election, it in turn would imply that the
government conceded to street violence. On top of this, a negotiation
would most likely hinge upon the condition of reconsidering the
controversial war crimes tribunal that already hung several opposition
leaders on the basis of their wrongdoings in the war. Any compromise
on this matter would be political suicide for the Awami League.
Instead, the Awami League determined to cling to power at any cost.
Gradually but markedly, a paranoia descended upon the Hasina
administration. Even the slightest of criticism was met with a harsh
response. Freedom of expression shrunk considerably. Continued
extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate use of force by law
enforcement, and mass arrest further silenced any dissent. It appears
that the Hasina government has expended more energy on consolidating
its grip on power than anything else.
In the meantime, the so-called blogger killings continued unabated.
And the government continued laying the blame on the opposition. That
the Bangladeshi government buried its head in the sand became clear
after Friday's hostage crisis. An attack of this level at the heart of
one of the safest places in the nation caught the government off
guard. In an apparent aberration, during her address to the nation,
Prime Minister Hasina did not explicitly accuse the BNP-Jamaat
conspiracy behind Friday's attacks. She acknowledged, although
vaguely, the existence of the problem and asked her countrymen to put
trust in her.
In order for Dhaka to be successful in the battle against terrorism,
the problem must be defined unequivocally—whether it is the Islamic
State, or al-Qaeda, or both, or something else. Hours after the prime
minister's speech, the home minister rejected any connection between
the gunmen and the Islamic State, but offered little evidence to
justify it. This ambiguity breeds confusion, leading the public to
lose faith.
Bangladesh is at a crucial juncture. The nation needs leadership now
more than any other time. Hence, the government must put politics
aside and build a national consensus on how to tackle the grave
security threat. Bangladesh should consult with the global community
including the United States, which has offered counter-terrorism
assistance.
The hostage crisis in Dhaka is an unfortunate outcome of the politics
of denial. However, for the government, this event at once offers a
unique opportunity to correct its course and poses a soul-searching
question about whether enough damage has been done to the democratic
fabric of the society. Terrorism is an evil force that always seeks to
gain from the societal and political divide of a country. Therefore, a
united, democratic, and strong Bangladesh is needed first and
foremost.
--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
The Source Of Bangladesh's Terror Problems: Its State of Denial
In theory, it is possible anywhere on this planet plagued by savagery
of fanatics like al-Qaeda and Islamic State. To Bangladeshis, a
hostage scenario remained implausible– something that appeared on the
TV screens or newspapers. But that changed in Friday evening.
Terrorists armed with guns, hand grenades, and swords stormed into a
restaurant in Dhaka's upscale Gulshan area. They reportedly chanted
"God is great" as they opened fire, exploded improvised devices, and
took hostage at gunpoint diners and restaurant staffs. Few were lucky
as they jumped off the roof and fled the scene. Most were not. A total
of twenty hostages were killed. Of them, two were Bangladeshi, seven
Japanese, one Indian, nine Italian, and one U.S. citizen. Authorities
said the hostages were slaughtered before the commandos raided Holey
Artisan Bakery, popular among Dhaka's expatriates for its great food,
excellent service, and immaculately-mowed green lawn, which is a
rarity in the sprawling metropolis.
An elite security force launched their assault almost eleven hours
after the hostage crisis began. Having being instructed to resolve the
crisis peacefully and with minimal damage, the security force
attempted to establish a communication channel with the perpetrators
to learn their demands. But it was rendered unsuccessful. Clearly, the
attackers wanted to commit a massacre. The very nature of this
attack—the timing, weapons, location, victims, and extreme
brutality—reveals that it was done with sophisticated preparation
matched only by attacks carried out by global terrorist outfits.
The Islamic State (IS) reportedly claimed responsibility. By one
account, it is Islamic State's nineteenth attack in Bangladesh.
However, Friday's attack is very different from most of the previous
attacks claimed by the IS. Previously, victims were attacked
individually with the exception of a Shi'a mosque in which IS hurled
bombs, killing one person. Other incidents include killing of
religious minorities by hacking them with machetes.
Even before the Islamic State's name surfaced in recent terror acts in
Bangladesh, al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Bangladesh claimed their
involvement in killings of those are perceived to be critical of
Islam. Because the majority of the slain people are bloggers, the
disturbing trend came to be known as 'blogger killings'. The
Bangladeshi government, however, never entertained any suggestion that
links international terrorist groups to these gruesome murders and
labeled these as the sleight-of-hand of local groups.
An armored personnel carrier takes position during the rescue
operation in Holey Artisan Bakery. (Faiham Ebna Sharif/Getty Images)
For some time, the public thought there would be no harm to them
unless they publicly criticized Islam and came under the wrath of the
Islamist fanatics. Soon it proved to be folly. The Islamic State
started to butcher innocent people from different strata. Over the
past three years, dozens of people have been killed in attacks, most
of them are said to have been carried out by Islamists groups.
The series of killings is unsettling. Worse, perpetrators of most of
the killings are still at large. Unnerved bloggers or the associates
of those killed left the country. Those who could not went
underground, living a life of self-imposed imprisonment. It is not a
good option, yet better than being constantly haunted by the fear of
death. The government, however, offered a probable solution: exercise
self-restraint. Prime Minister Hasina asked: "If anyone writes filthy
words against our religion, why should we tolerate that?" Statements
like this frustrate many people as the government seems to lack the
political will to solve this problem once and for all.
In an attempt to identify who are committing these crimes, the
government has often offered contradictory propositions ranging from
the evil nexus of the opposition parties to those envious of the
government's successes to even the Israeli intelligence agency,
Mossad. However, this theory is more or less consistent: cadres of the
opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its chief political
ally Jamaat-e-Islami, once the largest Islamist party in
Bangladesh—are secretly killing people, first to stop the execution of
war criminals of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971 and second to
unseat the government.
It is true that the flawed past of both the BNP and Jamaat does not
afford them any sympathy. That said, it is hard to believe that the
parties have the organizational strength to subvert the Hasina
premiership. Both parties suffered a massive political blow after they
boycotted the general election in 2014 because they were not certain
if the election would be fair unless it was administered by a neutral,
non-partisan interim government. An opposition-less election
essentially turned it to a one-sided election. Sheikh Hasina's Awami
League party came to power in a landslide.
Next, both the BNP and Jamaat resorted to street agitation and
violence in an attempt to show their muscle. The government quelled
this agitation and another wave of bloody protests on the first
anniversary of the Awami League government in 2015. Meanwhile, the
government gained enough political capital to not offer any concession
to the opposition. If the Awami League turned to the negotiation table
for a fresh inclusive election, it in turn would imply that the
government conceded to street violence. On top of this, a negotiation
would most likely hinge upon the condition of reconsidering the
controversial war crimes tribunal that already hung several opposition
leaders on the basis of their wrongdoings in the war. Any compromise
on this matter would be political suicide for the Awami League.
Instead, the Awami League determined to cling to power at any cost.
Gradually but markedly, a paranoia descended upon the Hasina
administration. Even the slightest of criticism was met with a harsh
response. Freedom of expression shrunk considerably. Continued
extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate use of force by law
enforcement, and mass arrest further silenced any dissent. It appears
that the Hasina government has expended more energy on consolidating
its grip on power than anything else.
In the meantime, the so-called blogger killings continued unabated.
And the government continued laying the blame on the opposition. That
the Bangladeshi government buried its head in the sand became clear
after Friday's hostage crisis. An attack of this level at the heart of
one of the safest places in the nation caught the government off
guard. In an apparent aberration, during her address to the nation,
Prime Minister Hasina did not explicitly accuse the BNP-Jamaat
conspiracy behind Friday's attacks. She acknowledged, although
vaguely, the existence of the problem and asked her countrymen to put
trust in her.
In order for Dhaka to be successful in the battle against terrorism,
the problem must be defined unequivocally—whether it is the Islamic
State, or al-Qaeda, or both, or something else. Hours after the prime
minister's speech, the home minister rejected any connection between
the gunmen and the Islamic State, but offered little evidence to
justify it. This ambiguity breeds confusion, leading the public to
lose faith.
Bangladesh is at a crucial juncture. The nation needs leadership now
more than any other time. Hence, the government must put politics
aside and build a national consensus on how to tackle the grave
security threat. Bangladesh should consult with the global community
including the United States, which has offered counter-terrorism
assistance.
The hostage crisis in Dhaka is an unfortunate outcome of the politics
of denial. However, for the government, this event at once offers a
unique opportunity to correct its course and poses a soul-searching
question about whether enough damage has been done to the democratic
fabric of the society. Terrorism is an evil force that always seeks to
gain from the societal and political divide of a country. Therefore, a
united, democratic, and strong Bangladesh is needed first and
foremost.
--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
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