Too little but not too late

Government's inaction against the Islamist extremists for a long time has frustrated the whole nation. Not only the government showed its utter callousness in taking action to tackle the problem but also ridiculed sincere efforts of those who tried to attract its attention time and again in various ways. When newspapers started reporting on the activities of much talked about Bangla Bhai and JMJB in the northern region about a year ago ruling BNP and its alliance partners dismissed the reports blaming the media for creating such a 'fictitious' character. Even prime minister herself, while exchanging views with editors in August last year, said there was no existence of Bangla Bhai. Whereas everybody knows about their activities as they marched through the streets of Rajshahi city in broad day light.

Now that the government has finally made its move one could hope that they would take giant steps not only to curb but entirely uproot extremism from society. But it is easier said than done. Because the government's action to ban two extremist organisations is too little to bring about any meaningful change in arresting the frightening escalation in extremism and fanaticism. Violence and unrest in society created by so called religious extremists cannot be stopped only by banning two organisations. To do away with these, politics in the name of religion and political parties which harbour extremists should be banned.

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Besides, there is an extensive network of criminal organisations in the country and unless we are able to get to the root of the problem, which lies also within the ruling alliance itself, we cannot expect the situation to get any better. It is open secret that the ruling BNP's coalition associates Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) are linked with militant groups. The activists of these parties on record chanted slogans in favour of making Bangladesh a Talebani state.

Above all, each of the political parties, when in power, has gone soft on extremist forces to woo the hearts of traditionally religious voters. That weakness in electoral policy only helped the fanatic groups grow in strength very methodically throughout the state mechanism. The situation is destined to go out of control if the major political parties fail to take a common stand to fight in unison against religious militancy. As years of negligence by successive governments contributed to the cause of extremists, so the issue should be resolved politically because religious extremism cannot be stopped by use of force alone.

Being in power the onus primarily lies with the BNP that has to decide now on fundamentalism and its association with Islamist coalition partners. Though the party appears, of late, to be very much concerned about the ominous rise of Islamist extremism, yet the BNP may drag its feet in confronting the Islamist militancy spiraling across the country out of fear of hurting the electoral balance in the next polls. Given the prevailing political equation in the country BNP badly needs the support of fundamentalist forces to win the next elections. Therefore, it seems, that BNP will be little committed to face the issue effectively.

So, there is enough reason to believe that the current crackdown on Islamist militants is probably an 'eyewash' to gain confidence of the international community, to whom Bangladesh's image has gone down significantly in recent times. Major donor countries and agencies have been raising the issue in every meeting with the government. Even recently concluded Washington meeting on Bangladesh jointly organised by the European Union, the World Bank and the US State department was held without representation of Bangladesh. As the government has been facing a serious image crisis abroad for the last several months over the Islamist militant issue so it has to wake up to the militant threat at last.

Which is why there are much doubts whether the government would continue its on-going drive against Islamist militants or just use it to befool the people and the donors as had happened in the past. Because similar instructions were given after a bomb explosion in Dinajpur on February 13 and arrests of several Islamist militants made in Chapainawabganj in March 2003. The government then began a driver against militant groups which further intensified following the August 14, 2003 gunfight between police and JMB operatives in Joypurhat and the arrests of about two dozens of militants in its wake. But the drive was suddenly abandoned. Similarly, findings of the investigations into the 22 killings and innumerable incidents of tortures on villagers by the JMJB cadres last year did never see the light of the day.

Islam does not support any act of terrorism. Those who are involved in terrorist activities in the name of Islamic organisations are the enemies of the country and Islam. Those enemies of Islam should be brought to justice for exemplary punishment before it is too late. Given the sincerity of the government it would not be a difficult task. Because still the Islamist militant groups are localised in hardly one or two regions of the country. Vast majority of peace loving people have nothing to do with these forces. In this age of RAB, CHEETA and COBRA, to find out one or two Bangla Bhai and the likes does not seem to be impossible.

Saiful Alam Lytton is a businessman.