IPCS Special Report 16 April 2006

BANGLADESH: RECENT DEVELOPEMENTS (Aug 2005-Mar 2006)

Rukmani Gupta Research Officer Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies

August 2005 saw the overt instituted to return in to a manifestation of large scale violence in moderate ? Bangladesh, something that the international community was I anxiously expecting. It came in the POLITICS form of terrorism. The months since then have seen the country battle with The last few months have been this phenomenon and achieve some months of turmoil as far as domestic success particularly with the capture political affairs are concerned. of the masterminds that orchestrated Agitations and protests against the these attacks. Insecurity was government have been abundant as compounded by the unstable political the and the BNP scenario. With national elections accused each other of being inefficient scheduled for January 2007, the issue and corrupt. The main opposition of caretaker government and reforms party (AL) led fourteen party alliance was once again brought to the fore. began agitations by boycotting the Terrorism provided both major national dialogue on stopping bomb political parties the opportunity to terrorism sponsored by the BNP. trade allegations of incompetence and Amidst heightened rhetoric complicity to gain public support in suggesting state collusion in corrupt the upcoming elections. While the practices and fostering terrorism, the domestic situation was precarious, AL threatened to boycott elections. external relations with important Prime Minister Khaleda Zia went so neighbours and major powers far as to warn from improved marginally. Bilateral employing language that hinted at exchanges with India, Pakistan and sedition. China were conducted while anti- terror cooperation with the US and UK Anti Ahmadiya roiting in in have apparently been enhanced. With December 2005 too was politicsed. the arrests of the JMB leaders, a certain While the opposition claimed this to pause may have been achieved in this be an example of the government’s war, but several questions remain. anti-secular policies, the government Will this stability last? Would follow itself refused to take any action to up legal and security forces actions declare the Ahmadiyas non-muslims. lead to a dismantling of terrorist With the rise of terrorism in the infrastructure? Would substantial disguise of fanatic Islam, the BNP led political and social reforms be government has been careful not to

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The Awami League eventually returned to Parliament on 12 February II 2006 or its continued absence would INTERNAL SECURITY have rendered it ineligible to function as the opposition. The AL placed Domestic Terrorism proposals for reform in the caretaker Terrorism made its presence felt with government and electoral systems but over 400 bomb blasts within a span of threatened to resign altogether if the one hour in 63 of 64 districts in proposals were not carried through. In Bangladesh on 17 August. the wake of the AL’s return to Governmental institutions and areas Parliament, controversy over of public gatherings for official registration of voters continues to interactions were the main targets. The rage. The AL contends that Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), registration is being manipulated to which had only recently been banned keep minorities including out by the government, took responsibility of the voting list. Allegations of for the blasts. Leaflets found on all government interference in the blast sites called for the creation of a investigation of graft charges by the state based on Islamic law and warned Anti Corruption committee only the government of increased strikes if heated matters. The BNP has now it continued to follow man-made laws. chosen to treat the reforms proposals These synchronised bombings were seriously, inviting the Awami League the prelude to alarmingly extensive to appoint nominees to discuss the and frequent terrorist activities. Bomb proposals with the government on 20 threats and bombing became almost March. If the two parties do indeed commonplace beginning with five reach a compromise on the proposals serial bomb blasts at court houses in then perhaps the domestic political Chandpur, Laxmipur and scene will be less tumultuous in the on 3 October 2005. These blasts left run up to the elections in January two dead and 38 injured. Handwritten 2007. leaflets of the Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) found at the blast The inability of the national air carrier site Chandpur called for the Bimaan to meet flight demands, along establishment of Islamic rule in the with serious power shortfalls and the country. On 29 November, suicide dearth of fertilizers and diesel that has bombers killed at least eight people affected boro cultivation, have all and injured over one hundred in two ensured that marches and agitations separate attacks in the Ghazipur and against the government continued. Chittagong court premises. Police arrested a JMB cadre, Iftekhar Hasan As oil prices surge and power outages Al Mamun with an unexploded bomb, continue, the Bangladesh government along with leaflets of the banned outfit has had to put military forces on alert after the 29 November attack. This to protect oil depots should the need followed a suicide bomb attack on 14 arise. This precaution testifies to the November in Jhalakathi where two precarious domestic situation in senior assistant judges and three Bangladesh, where the main political bystanders died. actors continue to trade allegations

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In the wake of these attacks the bank statements of Moulana Mosud Bangladesh government entrusted the (who was arrested at the Zia (RAB), a International airport for his special force under the Home involvement in the blasts) show that Ministry, with the task of identifying he had received over one crore takas and dealing with terrorist elements. from the UK and the UAE. With RAB operations that continue till date Sunny’s arrest and the possibility of have recovered huge caches of arms external funding for the JMB and ammunitions which include AK becoming real, the question of Al- 47s and LMGs, as well as bomb Qaeda linkages is becoming persistent. making materials. (RAB seizures are mostly explosives and very few arms) The arrest of Rakib Hasan Russel alias Along with the munitions, RAB has Hafez Mohammad, also a Shura recovered manuals on bomb making member on February 28, 2006 near techniques and leaflets propagating Baitul Mukarram mosque in Dhaka the JMB call for the establishment of attested to the efficiency of the RAB an Islamic state in Bangladesh. While which had so far been criticised for RAB attempts to combat the JMB, dragging its heels. terrorist activities continue unabated. Whether or not RAB operations have JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rehman met with unqualified success remain surrendered to RAB officials on 2 debatable, what cannot be doubted is March, bringing to end a 34 hour siege the magnitude and complexity of the by the RAB on the house where terrorist network that RAB has Abdur Rehman was captured along unearthed. with his family members. Soon after the arrest of Abdur Rehman, JMB The RAB’s high profile arrests began second-in-command Siddiqul Islam with the capture of militant Abdul alias was captured on 6 Awal on November 18, 2005, who was March from Muktagachcha in one of the seven members of the Myemensingh district. highest policymaking body of the outlawed Islamist militant outfit, the Now five of the seven shura members Majlish-e-Shura. The arrest of JMB have been captured. The two Operations Commander, Ataur remaining members of the Shura, Rahman, alias Sunny on 17 December Salahuddin alias Salehin ('commander' 2005, who is the younger brother of of the Sylhet- region) and JMB chief Shaekh Abdur Rahman Faruq Hossain alias Khaled Saifullah gave investigators an insight into the ('commander' of the Rangpur- functioning of the KMB. Sunny alleged Dinajpur region), are still at large. that the money for militancy in Bangladesh came from Pakistan, Saudi Investigations have revealed that Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Brunei and attacks on writer and other Middle Eastern countries for University teacher Prof establishing the “Rule of Allah”. Yunus were ordered by the JMB as Islamic NGOs and non-governmental was the suicide bombing in Netrakona organizations also supported the JMB. on 8 December that killed 8 and JMB’s nexus with Islamic militant injured 50. Sedition cases have been groups abroad became evident as

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IPCS Special Report 16 April 2006 filed against both Abdur Rehman and and ammunition from Bangla Bhai. Naikkhongchhari in Chittagong district on 4 March, Soon after these high profile arrests, a destroying two dens of gunrunners in bloody gun battle took place between a 36-hour operation on Mirinja hill. JMB cadre and RAB in Comilla on 13 Though none of the criminals involved March. At least six JMB men were were captured, this arms haul is arrested including a son of JMB believed to be the largest in three commander Shaikh, a regional years in the hilly area close to commander and two suicide bombers. Myanmar border. The cache includes A high alert has been sounded along sophisticated firearms including five the border and the BDR has intensified AK47 rifles, two M16 rifles, one M1 -A1 patrolling to capture the two heavy machinegun, one German-made remaining JMB Shura militants. G3 light machinegun (LMG), one G3 rifle, one 7.62 bore rifle, one heavy It is wiely suspected that the JMB has SBBL gun, two SBBL guns and one links with the Jamaat-e-Islami - one of Russian-made sub-machine carbine. the four parties in the ruling coalition. Besides, 18 rocket shells, one two-inch Arrested JMB operatives have hinted mortar, 12 grenades, 47 anti-personnel at the active collusion of Jamaat mines including 27 US-made ones, 31 members in aiding terrorists. It is also explosives-charged rocket launchers, interesting to note that JMB cadres one 40mm rocket launcher, 19 SMG have previously been involved with magazines, eight M16 rifle magazines, the Islami Chhatra Shibir – the student three G3 LMG magazines and 7,000 wing of the Jamaat. Threatening letters bullets were recovered from the spot. to journalists warned of dire consequences should articles be While action against illegal small arms written against various Islamic smuggling has continued for some organisations including the Jamaat. time now, the recovery of such a large cache underlines the urgent need to The ban on Harkatul in October address the issue before it begins to 2005, the drafting of a new stringent have repercussions on larger anti- anti-terror law and the continuing terrorism efforts. crackdown on JMB operations indicated the will of the leadership to III deal with the problem of terrorism External Relations seriously. As ties with foreign militant organisations are revealed and the A flurry of activity marked financial network of the JMB comes to Bangladesh’s external affairs. With be deciphered, it is hoped that SAARC summit in Dhaka to bilateral militancy in Bangladesh may be dealt negotiations with Pakistan and India. with decisively The emphasis that Western governments have put on the SAARC capture and trial of militants may well The 13th summit of the South Asian have provided the political impetus Association for Regional Cooperation required for swift action. took place in Dhaka from 12 to 13 November amidst high security. The Small arms trade summit ended with a vow to combat The Army and BDR mounted joint terrorism and poverty as enshrined in action to seize a huge cache of arms the Dhaka Declaration. Afghanistan became a member of the SAARC while

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China and Japan gained observer Issues related to trade impinged on status. The need to establish SAFTA the prospect of energy cooperation by 1 January 2006 was emphasized. between the two states when Mani Shankar Aiya r, Indian Minister for India Petroleum and Natural Gas, visited Bilateral relations between the two Dhaka on a two day official visit states have remained strained though between 4-6 September 2005 and efforts to improve relations have been discussed the tri-nation pipeline and made sporadically. other trade related issues. Adviser to the Energy Minister of Bangladesh, Natwar Singh’s visit to Dhaka in early Mahmudur Rahman stated that the August was the first ministerial-level issues of trade deficit, corridor to visit to Bangladesh since the UPA Nepal and Bhutan and the pipeline came to power and focussed were all related and could not be essentially on security, bilateral trade, discussed separately. This stance has border management, water sharing led to a stalemate as far as the pipeline and the UN reform issue. Though project is concerned with India contentious matters including the beginning to look at alternative routes proposed gas pipeline from Myanmar, for the pipeline. The MoU on illegal immigration and border fencing Petroleum signed between India and were discussed and diplomatic Myanmar during Indian President statements issued, little headway was Abdul Kalam’s visit (8-10 March 2006) made. Natwar Singh’s visit was relates to the export of petroleum gas essentially a prelude to future high- to India via pipeline or shipping it as level exchanges especially in the wake LPG. This may well resolve India’s of the SAARC summit. energy requirements while bypassing Bangladesh altogether. A two-day meeting of the Bangladesh- India Joint Working Group on trade Six-day director general level talks issues from 1 to 3 August undertaken between the BDR and the BSF were to revise the bilateral trade agreement held in New Delhi in the last week of ended without major breakthroughs. September The talks were an extension Although a ‘roadmap’ for boosting of border talks between the two sides trade was declared, no detailed work in attempts to relieve tensions. This plan was formulated. Bangladesh’s round focused on CBMs and the efforts to repeal non-tariff barriers question of fencing the border by the including the certification by the BSF along with other security issues. Bureau of Indian Standards, At a time when the situation along the quarantine of jute products, border is becoming tense with mandatory sanitary import permit and skirmishes being reported almost labelling saw little headway. Indian daily in the Bangladeshi press, the requests for withdrawal of the import talks helped diffuse tension and ban on yarn and sugar through land further dialogue. Allegations that ports and required certification from India was involved in the August Khamar Bari for import of poultry bomb blasts across Bangladesh did products were also denied. cast a cloud over the talks.

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IPCS Special Report 16 April 2006

The Indo-Bangla Joint Rivers access was reached, little headway Commission met from September 19- was made on other issues. India raised 20. Although there was no the issue of militant camps in breakthrough in the Teesta water Bangladesh of terrorists operating in sharing issue, India assured northeastern India. Bangladesh Bangladesh that its multibillion refuted the allegation and offered to Rupees river linking project would not permit Indian officials to visit the lead to diversion of water from the region in order to verify its stance but or the Brahmaputra. Both was reluctant to add this proposition sides agreed to joint inspection by to the minutes of the meeting when their water ministers of the bordering suggested by India. These meetings areas affected by erosion of are an indication of how far the two transboundary rivers. The 36th Joint states have yet to travel in order to Rivers Commission also resolved a resolve the numerous issues that review of the ‘operational plague their relationship. implementation’ of the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty. India expressed On 17 December, the Indian Chief of its willingness to go ahead with the Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, Tipaimukh Hydrological Dam (THD) began a four-day official visit to despite Bangladesh’s concerns of Bangladesh. The visit was aimed at reduced water flow. India did, reopening maritime relations between however, agree to provide Bangladesh the two states. The recommendations a detailed plan of the THD and take range from extensive patrolling in the into account concerns expressed by Bay of to the maintenance of Bangladesh after reviewing the plans. some Bangladesh ports by India. The Although bilateral talks over water visit is expected to warm relations sharing seem to be progressing between the defence forces of the two between India and Bangladesh, states. disagreements over the ratio of water sharing with regard to Teesta and The Commanding Officer of the BSF Bangladesh’s fears of the (Malda District) BC Dey stated on 17 consequences of India’s river linking December that India and Bangladesh project could hamper progress in the would conduct a joint survey of the future. Indo-Bangla border in West Bengal’s Malda district from December 22. The Home Secretary level talks between joint survey seeks to demarcate the Bangladesh and India in October in international border at places where New Delhi too were largely the rivers have changed their course. inconclusive. The Indian delegation was led by VK Duggal while the Talks between the Bangladesh Bangladeshi delegation was headed by government and Indian industrial Sarfarraj Hossain. On the agenda were giant Tata for a proposed $2.5 billion issues relating to border security, natural gas project met further hurdles consular access to nationals lodged in with the government rejecting the $1 the other country’s jails, proper per mcf bid for gas made by Tata. A implementation of the 1975 border study report to the Board of guidelines to allow fencing of the Invetsment in March 2006 suggested border and checking arms smuggling that the benefit from the project would and cross border crimes. Though an be equal to the subsidy extended by understanding to grant consular

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the government if it accepts Tata’s bid leadership could not be substantiated. of $1 per mcf. Hence from her perspective the visit was a failure, just as relations between Prime Minister Khaleda Zia made an the two states remain perhaps at their official three day visit to India from lowest level for many decades. 20-22 March. This was Zia’s first official visit to India since the ruling Even as Zia visited New Delhi, the coalition came to power in October BDR and BSF traded gunfire on 2001. Accompanied by Foreign Bodapara border in Panchagarh Minister M Morshed Khan, Finance district on the morning of 22 March. A minister M Saifur Rahman and four hour long gun battle followed Foreign Affairs Advisor Reaz Rahman, alleged unprovoked firing by the BSF. Zia also led a 40 member strong A sector commander level flag business delegation, signifying meeting was held on 23 March to Bangladeshi willingness to improve discuss the incident. Bangladesh’s trade relations with India. The focus of opposition to India’s fence building the visit was on reducing the trade efforts remains strong. While India gap, address security issues and deems this a necessary step to reduce discuss Bangladesh’s concerns over illegal immigration, Bangladesh sees it India’s river-linking project. as an attempt by India to redraw the border. During her visit Zia met with many senior officials and signed two Pakistan agreements with the Prime Minister of Khaleda Zia, undertook a three day India, Dr Manmohan Singh- the official visit to Pakistan beginning 12 Revised Trade Agreement and the February. This was the first official Agreement for Mutual Cooperation high-level visit to Pakistan in 13 years, for Preventing Illicit Trafficking in the last was undertaken in 1992 when Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Zia was in power. Zia visited Pakistan Substances and Related Matters. India in 2004 to attend the 12th SAARC and Bangladesh have agreed to summit. The bilateral visit this year, cooperate in dealing with the menace however, was aimed at strengthening of terrorism especially along the cooperation and enhancing bilateral border areas and Bangladesh now ties. awaits an interim agreement on the sharing of Teesta water as India has Four memorandums of understanding assured that it will consider Dhaka’s (MoUs) on trade, standardisation and proposal. The possibility of the quality control, agriculture and creation of a Free Trade Area between tourism were signed during the course the two states was also discussed as a of the visit. The export promotion means to reduce the trade gap, while bureaus of the two countries signed a both parties agreed to maintaining MoU to examine business and trade high level political dialogue to conditions in order to identify sectors ‘stregthen and consolidate’ existing of mutual interest, and exchange friendly relations. It was apparent that information and publications Zia’s principal aim of convincing her regarding development of trade domestic audience that she had a relations to facilitate mutual working relationship with the Indian investment. A regular mutual

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IPCS Special Report 16 April 2006 exchange of economic and commercial China information, market research reports The year 2005 marked the 30th and trade directories is to be anniversary of establishment of established between the two. bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Cooperation in training programmes the PRC. Khaleda’s visit to Beijing in regarding trade and investment was August 2005, the “year of friendship” also agreed upon. Regular working was her second bilateral visit since the meetings, to evaluate the BNP government came to power. Wen implementation of the provisions of Jiabao, the Chinese Premier, set forth a the MoU are to be held. five-point proposal to enhance relationships during talks with The Pakistan Standards and Quality Khaleda Zia. The proposal includes Control Authority and the Bangladesh using the 30th anniversary to realize Standards and Testing Institution on common ground reached by the two standardisation and quality assurance countries in all fields; exploring new signed a MoU, under which the two areas for cooperation; strengthening sides agreed to strengthen bilateral exchanges on high-tech and cooperation in standardisation and agriculture; expanding cultural and quality assurance and conformance personnel exchanges; maintaining testing and certification. The third close cooperation on the reform of the MoU, signed between the two United Nations, south-south countries’ agricultural research cooperation and other major councils, agreed to enhance international and regional issues. cooperation in agricultural science and Although Zia’s visit was cut short due technology and agricultural to an emergency, the visit emphasized production, including livestock and improved bilateral relations following fisheries, through joint activities and Wen’s visit earlier in the year. Direct programmes. In the MoU on tourism, flights between Dhaka and Beijing the two sides agreed to conduct were established during Wen’s visit, familiarisation tours to each other’s economic cooperation has only grown countries for travel writers, tourism with China becoming Bangladesh’s professionals, academicians and print largest trading partner in March 2006. and electronic media personnel. Bangladesh displayed support for China’s observer status in the SAARC The two sides also discussed defence even though it did not find favour and security cooperation, proposed with India. A push for greater defence reforms in the Organisation of Islamic cooperation has also been made with Conference and the United Nations. A Dhaka seeking to buy fighter planes proposal to finalize the bilateral free from Beijing. Cordial relations trade agreement by September was between China and Bangladesh also made. Formal talks on the same contrast starkly with those with India. are expected to begin soon. Islamabad also agreed to introduce a passenger and air cargo service between Dhaka International Organizations and Karachi. Bangladesh is expected The International Monetary Fund to seek Pakistan’s support in (IMF) reportedly threatened to stop demanding duty free access to US funding if it continued to utilize markets at the WTO. supplier’s credit. Bangladesh Finance Minister Saifur Rehman expressed his displeasure with what he termed as

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attempts to take over the driving seat in the reform programme by World US and UK Offer Counter-Terrorism Bank and the IMF. On the heels of this Cooperation report, the IMF was quick to reassure Long and short-term solutions to Bangladesh of continued support and growing were lauded its overall macro-economic suggested by the US on 28 November, performance. Complications arising following the threat to the American out of the privatization of Rupali Bank and European missions in Dhaka by a may lead the World Bank to defer self-proclaimed regional outfit of the Development Support Credit (DSC) to Al Qaeda on 27 November. A Bangladesh. Privatization of Rupali spokesperson for the US embassy in Bank was a condition tagged by the Dhaka expressed the hope that the US WB and the IMF for releasing the and Bangladesh would jointly tackle Poverty Reduction Growth Facility the problem on many fronts over a and the DSC, which has not yet been period of time. The British Minister of met due to a High Court stay order. State for Foreign and Commonwealth The World Bank was also unhappy Affairs, Dr Kim Howells, in a meeting over growing nepotism in the Anti with Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on 16 Corruption Commission. The World November, assured full cooperation Bank did however extend credit to and support to Bangladesh to combat Bangladesh though the country had terrorism. Following this, investigative been unable to meet certain teams from both the US and the UK requirements. As donor agencies have been working very closely with demand that Bangladesh actively law enforcement agencies to mount reduce corruption and political successful counter-terrorism instability, the government is campaigns. At US insistence, the considering setting up a joint task Bangladesh government decided to force comprising government and amend the Anti Money Laundering donor representatives to monitor the Act, 2001 adding provisions for utilization of funds. identifying bank customers and detecting non-government Having identified Bangladesh as the organisations’ funding, to give “teeth” transport and energy hub of the to the law that has punished not a region, the Asian Development Bank single money-launderer in the country (ADB) has proposed a $315 million despite numerous allegations. This near-commercial annual loan from its would go a long way in identifying Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) sources of terrorist funding. Despite Fund for the next three to five years to reiterating its faith in the Bangladesh help the country manage its debts in a government to combat terrorism and sustainable manner. The loan is close cooperation on the issue, US expected to be utilized for improving suspended all Peace Corps activities in infrastructure to attract more FDI into Bangladesh fearing a back lash against the country. Coming on the heels of American citizens in the country. the proposed investment by Tata and Asian Energy to the tune of $4.5 Asian Highway billion, the loans proposed by the ADB The Bangladesh government decided would go a long way towards not to participate in the UN sponsored boosting the Bangladesh economy. Asian Highway project despite the

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IPCS Special Report 16 April 2006 risk of losing economic benefits. The of available resources however, existing route of the Asian Highway remains a problem. that will connect thirty-two Asian countries with Europe has two roads entering into Bangladesh from Benapole and Banglabandha and exiting through Tamabil in Sylhet, having both entry and exit points with India. Bangladesh wants inclusion of the proposed Dhaka -Myanmar direct road via Cox’s Bazar to be included in the Asian Highway route. Bangladesh Minister for Communications Nazmul Huda categorically stated that Dhaka would not sign the agreement unless the changes suggested by it were accepted. He said that the UNP had given a commitment to the people that it would not provide a communication route connecting both parts of India no matter what the economic costs were to the nation.

IV Conclusion

As RAB action against militants continues, the need of the hour is to ensure that proper judicial and investigative procedure is followed during trials. In the past criminals have walked free due to the inability of the prosecution to sustain its arguments. While trials for those apprehended continue, its is also imperative that pressure on militant elements is not let up. The middle rank leadership, if given space, may well be able to garner enough support to resuscitate the terrorist network. With the beginning of dialogue between political actors, it is hoped that the run up to the elections will see a more stable political atmosphere. The problems that plague Bangladeshi economy stem from infrastructural faults. Regional and international organisations have offered aid to remedy these. The proper utilization

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