Toxic politics aided 'jihadist resurgence'

Int'l Crisis Group on Bangladesh

International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned that Bangladesh's contentious national politics have played a role in “enabling the jihadist resurgence”.

“Political polarisation has contributed to the growth of militancy in less direct ways, too,” said the group in a report yesterday (Tuesday).

There was a growing risk that Islamist militants would exploit the fallout created by political polarisation with the general elections approaching, it added.

The study titled “Countering Jihadist Militancy in Bangladesh” said the lull in violence in recent months might prove as a temporary respite.

“With elections approaching in December, politics could become even more toxic. The government's continued marginalisation of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and its forcing underground of opponents like Jamaat-e-Islami, risk sapping resources from efforts to disrupt jihadists,” said the report.

The next parliamentary election is scheduled to be held by the end of this year. The BNP has been alleging that the government was trying to hold another “lopsided election” like the one held on January 5, 2014.

According to ICG, Bangladeshi jihadi landscape was now dominated by banned outfits, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or JMB and Ansar al-Islam.

“Attacks since 2013 have targeted secular activists, intellectuals and foreigners, as well as religious and sectarian minorities. The ruling Awami League has politicised the threat; its crackdowns on rivals undermine efforts to disrupt jihadist recruitment and attacks,” the report reads.

The international observer group said, “Bangladesh's antagonistic politics have played a part in enabling the jihadist resurgence. The state confronted groups responsible for an earlier wave of violence with some success from 2004 to 2008. Subsequently, especially since controversial January 2014 elections, bitter political divisions have reopened space for new forms of jihadist activism.”

About the jailing of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a graft case, the organisation said it signalled the opening salvo of a new wave of political infighting reminiscent of January 2014 and 2015.

“Khaleda Zia's 8 February conviction and five-year sentence for corruption, whose timing suits the Awami League's electoral planning, could prohibit her from contesting the polls and widen divisions.

“At the same time, the government is making its own concessions to Islamists, notably Hefazat, whose views -- it opposes the principle of a pluralist, secular democracy; allowing women in the workplace; or appointing Hindus to key government posts -- are arguably harder-line than those of JeI [Jamaat-e-Islami],” said the report.

It mentioned that alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and indiscriminate government crackdowns on political rivals were occurring at the expense of a counter-terrorism strategy that was needed to address “growing jihadist activism and expanding links to transnational groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS”.

The organisation called upon the government to forge broad social and political consensus and pressed for pursuing more accountability in law enforcement and justice system as well as stopping politically-motivated crackdowns.

“Instead of relying on indiscriminate force, including alleged extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, the government should adopt a counter-terrorism strategy anchored in reformed criminal justice and better intelligence gathering. Rather than cracking down on rivals, it should forge a broad social and political consensus on how to confront the threat,” said the ICG.

•  Courtesy: The Daily Star Mar 01, 2018