Dhaka Attacks: The Pakistani Angle

On Friday night, armed gunmen entered a well-guarded, high-end café located in the diplomatic area of capital city of Dhaka. Armed Islamic militants barged into the café, killed 20 foreigners including nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American an Indian and two Bangladeshis and held several others hostage. In a major stand-off between the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) of Bangladesh and armed militants that lasted 12 hrs, six militants were neutralized, one was nabbed alive and 13 foreign hostages were rescued. Bangladesh for the past 18 months had been witnessing rising sporadic incidents of attacks on minorities, leaders of religious groups, university professors, secular bloggers, gay rights activists and foreigners (1).  Just a day before the major attack, a Hindu Priest and a Buddhist Monk were hacked to death. Unfortunately, media had been selectively vocal regarding spurt in violence against Hindus. Of late there has been an unprecedented rise in targeted killings of Hindus. Coincidentally, in most of the cases, victims are attacked by machete wielding assailants. Over 48 innocent Hindus were killed sending the message of intolerance to the minorities. In the last fortnight senior priest of Ramakrishna Mission at Bangladesh received a letter carrying death threats believed to be sent by IS. While Bangladesh government claims that there IS has no presence in the country, the trends from across the border are really worrying.

Sudden spurt terrorist attacks are now linked to IS’s call of intensifying attacks in the holy month of Ramadan. Substantiating these links, reports emerged that IS Bangladesh Emir, Abu Ibrahim al-Hanif in IS mouthpiece Dabiq recently warned that massive offenses will be launched in Bangladesh and India. He reiterating the idea of liberating both the countries from “disbelievers or mushikirins”. He elaborated that fighters are trained in Bangladesh and Pakistan to carry out attacks and to establish law of sharia in India and Bangladesh. With IS slowly losing ground in Iraq and Syria, in every likelihood, IS may escalate attacks in other places to stay relevant. IS’s venal animosity towards India is well-known. Three days back, acting on a major tip-off, Indian NIA (National Investigation Agency) busted an IS module operating from Hyderabad and arrested suspects. NIA has recovered the lethal explosive Triacetone triperoxide, used by IS in Paris attacks from the basement of the Indian operatives. Timely nabbing of the operatives had averted major communal clashes in India. While IS claimed responsibility for IS attacks, it has now emerged that armed gunmen were local Bangladeshis and government persisted that it’s an act of home-grown militants of Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Home Minister of Bangladesh asserted that latest attacks are an attempt to destabilize government and to draw international attention. But, the writing on the wall is clear and India must now intensified vigil along the porous Indo-Bangladesh border spanning across four states- West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.

Survivors of Dhaka attacks revealed that foreigners were singled out and upon failing to recite verses from Quran, were killed. Targeted killing of non-muslims, by the zealot Islamic militants generated serious apprehensions about the secular credentials of the country. Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina of Awami League (AL) is making perceptible progressing registering robust growth rates. $26 billion Bangladesh garment industry which accounts for 15% of economy is the second largest in the World. In wake of these attacks, business leaders are worried that foreigners might seriously review their ties. These attacks besides being a litmus test on the secularism propounded by Hasina, raise doubts about seriousness of government in cracking Islamist militants.

After 45 years of existence as an independent country, Bangladesh is now bearing brunt of diabolical political ideologies. Bangladesh was a part of Indian subcontinent as East Bengal before partition and became East Pakistan after partition. Following a 9-month long bloody war against military and political establishment of West Pakistan the collective Bengali Nationalism forces gained independence in 1971. Post-independence, Bangladesh adopted Parliamentary democracy. After winning elections, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Awami League (AL) enshrined the ideals socialism, secularism, nationalism and democracy in the constitution which became popular as Mujibism. Mujibism had to face the ire of the left-leaning radicals and pro-Islamic political outfit Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam (BJI), propped by Army personnel who received training from Pakistan. Mujib banned BJI for strongly contending the principles of secularism. By 1975 support for Mujib has declined, famine of 1974 and sanctions on grain imports by US exacerbated the situation in Bangladesh. Mujib declared state of emergency, assumed presidency and banned all political parties and with his assassination in 1975 AL was overthrown. Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed, a conservative leader, who opposed the pro-India and socialist policies became the president. He overturned the secular credentials and declared Bangladesh as an Islamic Republic. He was soon ousted by an armed coup. In the meanwhile, all the sympathizers of Pakistan and right-wing nationalists began to gain ground as Mujib had recused them of all the heinous charges. By 1977, after launching two palace coups, Gen Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) became the President. He soon cozied to Pakistan, China and the West, parted ways with India and Soviet Union. Zia soon accommodated all the anti-AL leaders in the governments, built close relations with clergies, introduced multi-party system expounded concept of Bangladesh Nationalism, drawing a clear distinction between the Bengali Muslims and Bangladeshi Muslims, replaced secularism with  the “statement of absolute faith in Almighty Allah” under article 8 and strengthened relations with the Arabic nations and other Islamic nations. Afflicted by severe identity crisis, propelled the country towards Islamization. Zia was replaced by Lt. Gen Ershad after the former’s assassination in 1981. Ershad a military official usurped power from President Abdur Sattar. Ershad too strongly advocated Islamisation leading to proliferation of madrasas and mosques. He declared Islam as state religion in 1988. Soon Dhaka has transformed into city of mosques each of them significantly exemplifying Arabic architecture.

Subsequently education system in Bangladesh dichotomized into secular and Islamic madrasa-based. The madrasa education was of two kinds-Alia and Quami. Alia madrasa curriculum was government approved, their degrees were recognized and students were employed. Whereas the Quami madrasas funded by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya and UK taught Quran, Hadith, Sunnah and Sharia. Students and teachers from these madrasas formed the strong back bone for the radical Islam existing in Bangladesh.  Incidentally, Hefajat-e-Islam an association of teachers of Quami madrasas began protesting against equal rights for women, challenged secular education of Bangladesh and warned the government to implement a 13-point charter that reinforced the ultra-conservative Muslim principles in 2013. Thus Quami madrasas and its allied political dispensation that affirmatively supported radical Islam piloted Bangladesh’s strides towards Arabisation.

With a spurt in state-sponsored Islamic education, there was a phenomenal rise in number of Islamic parties. The process of radicalization received a new lease for life and constantly challenged secular political forces. Among various Islamic political parties, BJI commanded greater support. Other Muslim groups like Jamaatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB), Harkatul Jihad Bangladesh (HuJI-B) (created in 1992 from the financial support of Al-Qaeda) to remain relevant created orchestrated terror activities. Eventually AL headed by Sheikh Hasina daughter of Mujib and BNP commanded by widow of Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia began to rule Bangladesh alternatively. As a result, both secular aspirations and radical Islam thrived. Under the BNP-Jamaat coalition from 1991 to 1996 and 2001-2006, Islamist fractions like JMB, HuJI flourished. During the second term, Khaleda Zia assigned two ministries to JMB and endowed it with political legitimacy. Terror strikes increased, massive assassination bids were made on Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh witnessed worst pogroms against Hindu minorities. Radical Islam received a new lease for life.

Mujib set a dangerous precedent by extending amnesty to perpetrators of genocide in 1971 thus the radicalised Islamic groups were assimilated. Soon they occupied senior positions in army, administration, police, bureaucracy and judicial systems. Thus, the Islamic fundamental groups thrived, flourished and sufficiently influenced political discourse. Following the general elections of 2008, Sheikh Hasina was reinstated as Prime Minister in 2009. The coalition government of AL with the support of Jatiya Party of Ershad and other leftist parties replaced “absolute trust in Allah” with secularism again. Hasina beefed up efforts to nab radical Islamic leaders involved in the atrocities committed during 1971 and sentenced them to death.  She declared a full blown war against radical Islamists and ended up in arresting prominent leaders of opposition. To stay on course, she imposed curbs on mainstream media and social media. Though these efforts were made to check the mass spreading of violent messaging that created social unrest soon Sheikh Hasina regime was branded as authoritarian. Bangladesh is not new to authoritarian regimes as in the past it endured excesses of two military dictators. Following execution of Islamic leader, small players like JMB and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) escalated their activities and publicly announced their affiliation to Al-Qaeda and IS.

Owing to sudden rise in violence against civilians, Bangladesh government in the last fortnight intensified anti-militant drive which led to arrest of over 10,000 people including 194 suspected militants of JMB. Despite these rigorous combing efforts, civilians and activists are hardly convinced since, people in senior positions have colluded with radical Islamic groups. The menace of sympathizing the radical militants had made deep in roots into police and armed forces. Though this doesn’t justify government’s failures but the roots of terrorism have firmly established in Bangladesh due to absence of stringent action against those stoking religious prejudices. The founding father of Bangladesh, aspired to create a new nation based on cultural and linguistic identity as opposed to genesis of Pakistan on religious lines. But steadily the groups rooting for Islamic identity prevailed and the nation slowly levitated towards rapid Islamisation. Bangladesh has turned into a fertile breeding ground for Muslim radicalisation. Until unless the ruling party evinces firm conviction to crack down Muslim fundamentalists within and outside, unabated reign of terror will prevail. Continual denial of existence of terror dens in Bangladesh by the government may embolden the hardliners.

Under Hasina Bangladesh made rapid economic strides and consistent growth rates pulled millions from the stranglehold of poverty. She averted a military coup in 2012, banned Islamic religious groups and reposed faith in secularism. She renewed ties with India and now both countries can intensify counter-terrorism operations to root out Islamic fundamentals. Unfortunately, World leaders are doing a greatest disservice by consistently dehyphenating religion with terror. Till now all the major terrorist attacks across the World trace back its origins to religious radicalization. While Iam writing this article, latest news indicated that terror strikes claimed by IS in Baghdad, killed 179 people and injured over 130 people. It high time, leaders mustn’t mince words in calling a spade a spade. Annihilating the menace of terrorism would remain a distant dream until, the roots of this scourge are obliterated.

Claiming allegiance to IS is a matter of honor for home grown militants of Bangladesh since the local outfits can hardly make waves in international media. Forging links with IS might help the local militants to modernize and get branded. Appearance of Dhaka gunmen pictures on IS website clearly substantiates this argument. Just now with Bangladesh’s I&B Minister coming out in open hinting about the links between IS and Bangladeshi militants, the long standing belief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan having deep roots in Bangladesh turns out be veritable. Implying, Pakistan through its agents are shamelessly waging proxy wars across the sub-continent. Evidently, Pakistan hasn’t gotten over the humiliation suffered during Bangladesh’s liberation war, is hell bent on creating a reign of terror in its former province. With Modi government extending unflinching support to Sheik Hasina regime, the targeted attacks on Hindus might be a Pakistan’s stratagem of creating rift between both countries. Bangladesh should be commended for displaying a rare tenacity of calling shots at Pakistan during the hour of grief. India politicians who are keen on appeasing the minorities for vote banks should draw a lesson or two from Bangladesh and exude conviction of upholding the security interests of our country. By offering legal assistance to terror suspects, Indian politicians has spectacularly displayed their apathy and disingenuity.

 

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