Editorial
Anti-terror cooperation
Neutralise the source of funding
It is good news that Saarc officials are going to meet in New Delhi this month to deliberate on the necessity of getting to the roots of funding of terrorist organisations that operate in the Saarc countries. In a meeting of the Saarc finance secretaries in the Indian capital last week the issue of countering terror-funding came up with due seriousness. We feel it is a burning topic that has to be addressed in a focused manner without losing further time. Since there is an agreement in place on sharing of information among the Saarc countries, having some kind of mechanism installed to find out about how huge sums are being transferred through banks should not be a difficult proposition.
Terrorism in Saarc countries has been spreading its tentacles for decades in a bid to negate the developmental efforts of the democratic governments and the people. The ultimate aim of these groups is to grab state power and implement their own ideology and agenda. Their methods are brutal and bloody, and as a result, the toll in terms of life, property and social disorder has been immense in most of the countries of the region.
It may be mentioned here that the religious fundamentalist groups which are carrying on their missions in some of the countries, including Bangladesh, are known to have motivated a large number of young men through spending huge sums of money. These organisations, supposedly having a steady source of funding, are allegedly operating under the banner of non-governmental organisations, banks, insurance companies and charitable organisations.
Our experience of terrorism is one of senseless brutality, murder and mayhem. Hence, there can be no second thought on the question of uprooting the obscurantist groups from the soil once and for all. We, therefore, look forward to the Saarc officials formulating a concrete mechanism to go after the sources of terror-funding in the region.
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