Latent threat
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan could lead to a resurgence of de-franchised Taliban-related groups in Bangladesh, causing serious security implications
It's all over that Taliban is wreaking havoc through its claim of huge territorial gains within Afghanistan as well as its inroad into Pakistan and Iranian borders after the fall of Islam Qala to its advancing trips. Even the Pakistani security establishment seems shaken as to how it will deal with the situation if Afghans or the Taliban cadre manage to sneak into Pakistani territory. A national debate is already raging in Islamabad on the likely scenario in the aftermath of the US troops withdrawal amid reports of the Taliban claiming that it already possesses 80 per cent of the Afghan landmass. Seculars, liberals, champions of women and human rights and academicians have already begun wrapping up their unfinished projects, apprehending a regressive future of complete takeover by the Taliban.
While we know that Pakistan is reeling under some kind of nervousness, a few analysts have raised red flags around the prospects in Bangladesh in case of a Taliban takeover. Although Bangladesh and Afghanistan do not share borders, they have a bloody history of shared ideology among jihadi elements in India's eastern neighbourhood. It is imperative to discuss the history of Bangladesh as in the past, during the US military onslaught in Afghanistan after 9/11 to ouster the Taliban, there were many Bangladeshis who were influenced by the Talibani ideology of establishing a medieval kind of rule. They were inspired by Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in Bangladesh who had once partnered with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and were active collaborators of Pakistan in their slew of mayhem targeting the anti-liberation forces in the run-up to independence.
Those from Bangladesh, who participated alongside the Afghan Taliban, were not only indoctrinated with the thoughts of religious extremism but were also trained militarily. Such a trained lot, after the rout of the Taliban, returned to Bangladesh and radicalised a number of strayed Bangladeshi youth in the name of religion. These youth took to arms training from these veterans and gave a fillip to the birth of homegrown terror outfits threatening the progressive and the forward thinkers. Such a development further encouraged the formation of the terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) which was founded in 1998. Inspired by these Afghan-returned terrorists, in early 2000, we saw a spate of killings of those with secular credentials in Bangladesh — including Finance Minister ABMG Kibria, Ahsanullah Master, writer Humayun Azad and others. The JMB also targeted a number of infrastructures, launching devastating bombings and dastardly killings to make its presence felt. They were particularly active in Rajshahi and had expanded their sphere of activities up to the Indian border in Northern Bangladesh. A top-level team of counter-terror and an investigating team had come from the US to probe into the JMB-inspired killings and bombings.
It's commonly known in Bangladesh that the JeI (Bangladesh), since being de-franchised by Bangladesh, remains in the wings with the same commitment and hardened ideology of bigotry with pro-Pakistan leanings. Authoritative sources say that they are intently watching the developments in Afghanistan, especially the advances of the Taliban, extending silent support to its 'triumphs'. Similarly, the 11-year-old extremist outfit Hefazat-e-Islam, operating out of the port city Chittagong, is pursuing the Taliban moves, wishfully thinking of its absolute control in Afghanistan for ushering in a religion-based rule. Bangladesh, under the progressive leadership of Sheikh Hasina, has so far effectively handled these organisations but her government got a jolt in March this year when the Hefazat went berserk in Dhaka, Brahmanbaria, Chittagong and other cities, unleashing a trail of communal violence targeting the Hindu minority and their places of worship. It has further communalised the agenda which has always been the priority feature of JeI (BD). These forces need to be placed under a scanner. Intelligence and Counter-Terror (CT) bodies must intensify their vigil to foil their attempts to draw any religious or political mileage out of the Taliban's 'victories' in Afghanistan. During the last resurgence of the Taliban, there was perhaps no notice to the security establishments but this time the writings on the wall are clear and the warning time is sufficient. There need not be any complacency. A tough crackdown and close surveillance can neutralise any likely Talibanisation of a section of Bangladeshi youth.
Abdul Gaffar Choudhry, a Bangladesh-born British citizen, who is a highly decorated intellectual, political commentator and analyst, has in a recent writeup, warned that even arms from Afghanistan can reach Bangladesh for the Taliban sympathisers via Pakistan and India. Even if such suspicions are exaggerated, it's professionally desirable to address these concerns rather than dismiss them as routine cautionary advice.
The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the PM of Mauritius. Views expressed are personal