The New Nation - Internet Edition

Pakistan has a reputation as a haven for terrorists from many different backgrounds. This, unfortunately, is somewhat true, but we may not be quite as open to penetration by insurgents as some critics think. This write up looks at the groups that are active around the world, and then look at some of those with connections within Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis tend to act surprised to learn that terrorism is present in Bangladesh - a point that does confirm suspicions that many of us know little about our own history. Some Bangladeshis are perfectly capable of generating terrorism on their own, although most incidents are minor, and narrowly focused within particular communities.Terrorism inside Bangladesh from international actors is not a new phenomenon either. Most of these involved unsophisticated attacks with pipe-bombs and Molotov cocktails on diplomatic sites too.

While terrorism is not unknown in Bangladesh, most of the groups generated inside the country can be easily handled by Bangladeshi police and RAB (if not always being satisfactorily dealt with by our courts). Things are less sure when considering international terrorism, whether generated abroad, or sustained by émigré groups inside Bangladesh.

Balaram Sengupta

Dhaka