Bangladesh was the second most improved country in terms of terrorism impact in South Asia as it has jumped down two notches to the 43rd rank among 163 countries, according to the latest edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI). Bangladesh received a score of 3.827 on the GTI index. The calculation of the score takes into account the deaths, incidents, hostages, and injuries caused by terrorism.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s zero tolerance policy against terrorism has been hailed by the governments, intelligence agencies and media all over the world. Following the government’s zero tolerance policy against terrorism and drugs, over the last few years, law enforcing agencies have been trying to destroy militancy with an iron-hand by conducting countrywide anti-militant drives and so far their efforts deserve plaudits.
Since the Holey Artisan attack, we have seen some strong anti-militancy campaign around the country to curb the growing risks of militant attacks. And thus Bangladesh has become a blazing instance to the rest of the world in curbing militancy and terrorism. Law enforcers now claim that militant groups have mostly been demolished, but fear of terror attacks continues to grow as terrorists are now being recruited through internet.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s zero tolerance
policy against terrorism
has been hailed by the
governments, intelligence
agencies and media all
over the world
Bangladesh has done a lot to counter extremists’ ideology in the physical space and now the country needs to counter that in virtual space too. Killing in the name of Islam is an age-old phenomenon although Islam never supports terrorism and militancy. It is clear that as long as militancy is an ideological paradox and there are anti liberation forces, it would be a challenge to wipe out militancy from this soil.
The war against terrorism is a form of asymmetric rivalry. The odds are in favor of terrorists. All they have to do is succeed once, no matter how many times they try. Hence, cross-sections of people including professional leaders and religious personalities should forge social resistance against terrorism and militancy. We all need to be vocal against terrorism and militancy to make the pertaining development sphere sustainable. We must work to free our society from the grip of drugs, terrorism and militancy.
