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Radicalism in Bangladesh threat to India: Ex-US envoy
by Priscilla Huff

     Washington: A former U.S. envoy to Bangladesh has expressed concern over the growing influence of radicals in Bangladesh, saying it could threaten the eastern frontiers of neighbouring India in future. Referring to the recent spate of bomb blasts in Dhaka and in the southern districts of Bangladesh, Ambassador Howard Schaffer expressed the view that Bangladesh is probably being used by Islamic fundamentalists and insurgents as a safe haven to enable them to carry on with their activities in an unrestricted manner. "Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the concern is that using Bangladesh as a safe haven or a base, Islamic groups could conduct raids into India, they could link up with Indian groups, and this could create even more problems for India in the troubled eastern part of the country," said Schaffer. Normally friendly relations between India and Bangladesh have been marred in recent years by border skirmishes and charges by the neighbours that the other harbours insurgents. India also blames Bangladesh for the illegal migration of tens of thousands of poor Bangladeshis who cross the porous border in search of a livelihood. Dhaka denies the charge.

     Schaffer said growing instability in the country would lead to influx of more illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. "One of the problems is obviously that if the country becomes unstable as a result of greater terrorist activities, you're gonna have added to the normal economic out flux of people reasons which will to look to India for safety," he added. Bangladesh has accused criminal gangs in India of involvement in the serial bombings, an allegation New Delhi has angrily denied. Eyewitnesses said the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, left leaflets at the sites demanding democracy be abandoned and an Islamic state established under Shariat law. A top border official from Bangladesh on a visit to India last month suspected culprits had links with Bangladesh's giant neighbour. Schaffer said the coordination of the attacks made it clear that the radical organisations had strong bases in the country.

     "This is surely terrorism. It can't be anything else. What was astonishing about these bombings, which took place in late August, was that they were coordinated throughout the country. Only a couple of districts were not affected. Not too many people were killed, and that many people think is evidence that what these terrorist groups were seeking to do was to send a warning to the government and the country, because you can't have such a coordinated attack unless you have a very strong organization," he said. Schaffer said inability of the government to rule the country was a major contributor of growing extremism. "Bangladesh is badly governed. And under those circumstances, there is a tendency to turn to moderate Islamic countries, moderate Islamic parties, or more radical groups. It sets up an environment in which these radical groups can operate," he said. The Bangladesh police last week said they arrested 10 more suspects in the hunt for militants involved in the bombings and confiscated assets of the leader of a banned Islamist group. Thirty-three other people, suspected of having links with international militant groups, are also being hunted, police said. They have given no other details.

     The 10 latest arrests, which police said took place in eastern and western districts of the country, bring the total number of people detained to close to 400 in six weeks. Authorities have also released photographs of two main suspects and have promised to reward anyone giving information on their whereabouts, but police say no one has come forward. But Schaffer said the government was not doing enough to nab the culprits. "I don't believe that its a haven, but I should say that despite what seem to be strenuous efforts on the part of the Bangladesh government to find out what happened, no real progress is being made. And, no real progress is ever likely to be made. A lot of small fry have been picked up, but the government is nowhere near identifying the masterminds of these explosions. Typically in Bangladesh, the two contending major parties are blaming one another," he said. "I think the warning to the government is that a:, its got to be more observant of what you could call Islamic political values and b:, that if it does not do so, the terrorists could very well strike again. I think among other things, it will suggest to the Bangladesh government that it's got to be careful in its foreign policy," he added. Opposition parties have accused minority Islamist parties in the coalition government of involvement in the bombings and shielding the ringleaders, a charge the government has denied. Police has said many of those in detention have confessed to being members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and taking part in the blasts.

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