The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh was virtually again pushed to the international focus as the US State Department on March 5 designated Harkat-Ul-Jihad-i-Islami-Bangladesh (HUJI-B) a 'Foreign Terrorist Organization'.

Although the Government banned Huji in 2005, arrested its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and convicted most of its members, Secretary Condoleezza Rice's designation of Huji as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist caused concern among the general people considering its possible impact on future of Bangladesh.

Rice in Washington said the leader of HUJI-B signed the February 1998 fatwa sponsored by Osama bin Laden that declared American civilians to be legitimate targets for attack. Since then, HUJI-B has been implicated in a number of terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and abroad.

Some wondered if HUJI-B signed the bin Laden fatwa in 1998 why the US State Department chose to keep it secret for nearly 10 years.

Earlier, a number of foreign counter terrorism experts who visited Dhaka observed that Bangladeshi terrorist outfits look more locally organized and they may not have any link with international terrorist networks.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry yesterday said the Bangladesh government is firmly determined to combat any kind of terrorism.

Responding to the US State Department designating Huji-Bangladesh as 'foreign terrorist organization', he said the international community must have confidence that Bangladesh is committed to resist any kind of terrorism. Huji was already banned a few years ago in the country, the spokesman said.

Home Secretary Abdul Karim at a recent seminar here said that Islamic militant outfits found in Bangladesh have no operative linkages with international terror network of Al Qaeda or Taliban.

"Weapons or types of explosive they use may have foreign origins or in neighbouring countries, but their financing is arranged internally not from external sources," he told the seminar on 'Trend of Militancy in Bangladesh and Possible Responses' at Bangladesh Enterprise Institute on February 28.

Strategic Analyst Brig Gen (retd) Shahedul Anam Khan said the designation of HUJI-B as foreign terrorist organization might not have any significant impact on Bangladesh, but it might hurt the country's image.

Besides, he said, the government might come under direct or indirect pressure to take legal action against any individual on suspicion of having link with HUJIB-B. Even if any terrorist act occurs in future outside Bangladesh, they may try to link HUJI-B.Khan said the government would have to take both short- and long-term measures in countering terrorism and in anti-terrorism activities. Although it requires time, Bangladesh need to work in a more structured way to eliminate the extremists.

Talking to UNB, Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) chairman and ex-MP Mufti Fazlul Huq Aminee said: "We don't believe in terrorism or extremism. We want to establish Islamic rule through democratic means."

Replying to a question, he said it would be wrong if Islamic parties are indiscriminately branded as terrorist outfits in line with the Huji.

Nejam-e-Islami and IOJ secretary general Abdul Latif Nizami said they do not believe in terrorism, nor involved in any terrorist act. He said the party and those who are in IOJ believe in constitutional movement for establishment of Islam.

He said Islamic terrorist outfits are their (America) creation and "we don't think there is much presence of such terrorist organizations here."

Huji emerged in 1992 as an extremist Islamic organization. In 1996, forty-one of its operatives were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Huji chief Mufti Hannan was arrested on October 1, 2005 and the outfit was banned on October 17 of the same year for its involvement in subversive acts creating law-and-order situation.

On August 2, 2006, Mufti Abdur Rouf, another kingpin of the Huji, was reined in.

So far, 64 militants of the organization have been arrested, official sources said.

Additional Home Secretary Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid told reporters on Thursday that the government would drastically put down any clandestine activities of the banned Huji.

He said although there is no open activity by Huji, but if any secret act of the group is noticed, it would be dealt with a strong hand.

In her statement, Secretary Rice, however, said Bangladesh has been a strong partner of the United States in fighting terrorism, and has taken effective action to bring HUJI-B terrorists to justice and to prevent further attacks.

"We applaud Bangladesh's efforts to fight terrorism and are committed to further strengthening this partnership as we redouble our efforts to counter HUJI-B and other terrorist organizations around the globe," she said.

The designation of Huji as a foreign terrorist organization means that it is illegal for persons in the United States or subject to U.S. jurisdiction to provide material support to HUJI-B; requires U.S. financial institutions to freeze assets held by HUJI-B; freeze all property and interests in property of HUJI-B that are in the United States, come within the United States, or within the control of U.S. persons; and enables the United States to deny visas to representatives of HUJI-B.