The United States has lauded Bangladesh for its endeavours to fight terrorism in 2012, saying that Dhaka’s counterterrorism efforts made it harder for transnational terrorists to operate in or establish safe havens in the country. In the ‘Country Reports on Terrorism 2012’ released on Thursday by the State Department in Washington, the US also said that the government had demonstrated its commitment to combating domestic and transnational terrorist groups.
Although the country’s criminal justice system is in the process of fully implementing the Antiterrorism Act, 2009, the judiciary moved slowly in processing terrorism and other criminal cases in general, it said.
With regard to Dhaka’s regional and international counterterrorism cooperation, the report said, “Bangladesh’s foreign and domestic policies are heavily influenced by the region’s major powers, particularly India. In past years the Indo-Bangladesh relationship provided openings for transnational threats, but the current government has demonstrated its interest in regional cooperation on counterterrorism.”
Bangladesh is party to various counterterrorism protocols under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and is bringing the country’s counterterrorism efforts in line with the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, stated the report that covered the period between January 1 and December 31, 2012.
On countering terrorist finance, Bangladesh is a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. The Bangladesh Bank (the central bank) and its Financial Intelligence Unit/Anti-Money Laundering Section lead the government’s effort to comply with the international sanctions regime. FATF has identified Bangladesh’s implementation of UNSCRs 1267 and 1373 as a deficiency in its laws. Bangladesh formed an interagency committee to address this issue, and has drafted regulations to implement both of these provisions. While Bangladesh’s Anti-Terrorism Act criminalized terrorist financing, FATF has recommended that Bangladesh amend its laws to meet international standards and to clarify remaining ambiguities. The interagency committee mentioned above has begun revising the legislation to satisfy FATF’s concerns in this regard.
In 2012, Bangladesh enacted a mutual legal assistance law that will allow for greater international cooperation. It has also signed memoranda of understanding with a number of countries to share evidence regarding criminal investigations, including investigations related to financial crimes and terrorist financing.
As far as countering radicalisation and violent extremism is concerned Bangladesh uses strategic communication to counter violent extremism, especially among youth. The Ministry of Education provides oversight for madrassas and is developing a standard national curriculum that includes language, math, and science curricula; and minimum standards of secular subjects to be taught in all primary schools, up to the eighth grade. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the National Committee on Militancy Resistance and Prevention work with imams and religious scholars to build public awareness against terrorism. The Government of Bangladesh is also actively expanding economic opportunities for women as it views economic empowerment for women as a buffer against violent extremist messages of male religious leaders.
US assistance supports programs for Bangladeshi civilian, law enforcement, and military counterparts to build their capacity to monitor, detect, and prevent terrorism.
Bangladesh cooperated with the United States to further strengthen control of its borders and land, sea, and air ports of entry. Bangladesh continued to participate in the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance program and cooperated with the Department of Justice’s efforts to provide prosecutorial skills training to its assistant public prosecutors, encourage greater cooperation between police and prosecutors, and institute community policing in targeted areas of the country. With financial support from the United States and other partners, Bangladesh established a National Academy for Security Training in 2012 and began to provide counterterrorism training courses.
-With The Independent input
