Bangladesh has always been one of the brightest examples of religious harmony and peace. “secularism” is not only a word that’s inscribed in Bangladesh’s constitution as one of the four fundamental principles of the state, but it’s also an automatism that shapes the social subsistence of Bangladeshi people.
But there was a rise in ripples in the non-perpetual tranquility in the name of terrorism and religious extremism. Although Islamist parties were constantly present in politics, Islamist factions first emerged in 1989 in Bangladesh and they run riot in the following years with the sole desire of establishing Caliphate in the region. The incidents of attack on Udichi, bomb blast on Ramna Batamul, nationwide series bomb blast, target killings of bloggers, rise of Bangla Bhai and Shayokh Abdur Rahman had dished the public morals and compelled the government to form a rapid force to put a stopper on them.
All the efforts and prevalence against terrorism were besmirched on July 1, 2016, after the terrorist attack on the Holy Artisan, a ritzy eatery, just a stone’s throw away from the American Embassy. The Dhaka attack along with a string of attacks afterwards opened a new chapter of terror for Bangladesh. With encrypted communication system the terrorists were trying to engage the state with newer weapons. After that attack, Bangladesh launched a full-fledged war against terrorism and was mostly successful. An early interview of Tamim Ahmed Chawdhury, the mastermind of the Holy Artisan attack, on ‘Dabiq’ (the online magazine of Islamic States of Iraq and the Levant) reveals their reasons of using Bangladesh for terror attacks to be the geopolitical advantage and close proximity to India. Bangladesh has often been used as a launch-pad of attacks against India; not only for Islamist terror attacks from outside, but also for their inside insurgencies.
Bangladesh, the subconscious protector of its closest neighbor, had often played the role of a coadjutor in countering insurgencies of North East region of India. The Chairman of United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) Aravinda Rajkhowa was detained and handed over to India in 2009, the ULFA stalwart Anup Chetia was arrested in 1997 and deported in 2015 after 18 years of imprisonment in Bangladesh, ULFA leader Ranju Chowdhury alias Rattan Sarker was arrested in 2010. Bangladesh handed over the entire ULFA leadership and Bodo insurgent leaders to India. Bangladesh’s zero tolerance policy against terrorism had benefitted India immensely as North-East insurgencies were a real bummer for India.
India might have paid the favor back by covertly helping Bangladesh to arrest fugitive killer of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It’s known that there is an extra-ordinary real-time co-operation and collaboration between the intelligence agencies of India and Bangladesh.
India repeatedly lauds Bangladesh’s zero tolerance policy against terrorism, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian President Ramnath Kovind, Foreign Minister, Home Minister and Chief Ministers of neighboring states had often expressed their appreciations and gramercy.
For now, the insurgency is on its lowest in the North-eastern part of India, for which the newly elected Chief Minister of Assam, Hemant Bishwa Sharma has expressed his gratitude to Bangladesh and desire to enhance business and connectivity between Bangladesh and North-East India. It will happen eventually, equally benefitting both the countries, strengthening the ties. Just as Bangladesh extended its hand to establish peace there, India also needs Bangladesh’s assistance for the prosperity of that region. India wants to reach and connect to the hard-to-reach part with transit facility from Bangladesh, which Bangladesh responds with a counter-proposal of transshipment. A trial run had held last year opening a new door of economic potential.
Regional trade is below its potential in South Asia, but leaders of India and Bangladesh are building upon strong bilateral ties for economic growth and prosperity. Maitri Setu, or Friendship Bridge, built over the Feni River is a crucial corridor that will facilitate this. Several connectivity channels were revived, whereas few projects are ongoing, many are on the negotiation table. If a seamless connectivity is established, time and cost will be reduced and both the side of the border will prosper exponentially. This hard-earned fleeting quiescence in NE can only be slacked up if livelihood and trade become exacerbated. Like peace, prosperity in NE may come taking Bangladesh’s hand.
Insurgencies in NE had taken it back by 50 years. It’s high time India concentrated on the betterment of the livelihood of the people of NE. For this connectivity and infrastructure development with Bangladesh is must. This will also open new avenues of transportation through Bangladesh to NE, Bhutan and Nepal.
There is an age-old philosophy that it is the interdependence of economics, survival, stability, progress, and security that reduces the chances of conflicts between nations, especially the neighbors. Stability, peace, progress, and security of India and Bangladesh are interlinked and interdependent due to their common interests, future and destiny.
A peaceful region enhances business, boosts economy. Peace is what the people of Bangladesh and India wants. Peace is everyone’s right.
May peace be upon everyone in the world.
*Anushka Sengupta is from Dhaka, Bangladesh and a research officer of a digital marketing forum.
