Call for effective policy, measures

A number of security experts and academics yesterday suggested having new policies and structures to enhance civil and military cooperation to fight terrorism that threatens the country's peace and stability.

At a seminar, they said the present institutional arrangements don't allow effective civil-military cooperation that can properly deal with the crisis in the changed global scenario.

Imtiaz Ahmed, professor of international relations at Dhaka University, recommended the formation of a national security council.

“In regard to terrorism, civil and military have to come together,” he said.

All developed countries and also neighbouring India have national security councils, but Bangladesh doesn't have it, said Imtiaz.

Referring to the July 1 terrorist attack in the capital's Gulshan, he said, “We are dealing with terrorism which is different… For the first time, we have terrorism which includes suicide bombing to the extent that we never had.”

The unprecedented terror attack left 22 people, mostly foreigners, dead on that night. At 7:40am the following day, the armed forces conducted a commando operation that led to the rescue of 13 hostages. 

Imtiaz said, “If they [the authorities] knew the discourse, they would know that they [attackers] were not negotiating. The moment you know they are not negotiating, that means they are ready to commit suicide.

“Then you needed a totally different kind of structure to do something at that particular moment because the fellow [attacker] is not rational… It is a leap beyond reason.”

He also stressed the need for “an alternative discourse” to deal with such a situation.

Bangladesh Institute of International Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD) jointly organised the seminar titled “Civil-Military Relations in Democracy: An Effective Framework”, held at the BIIS auditorium in the capital.

Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain said, “The AFD is not serving the purpose of civilian control. It is a one-man control right from the beginning till today.

“In democracy, it is a collective control of everything. It becomes one-man control when one man takes a decision on strategy and policy, that gentleman -- he or she -- can go wrong. It has to be a collective decision,” he said.    

“If we talk about liberal democracy, if you want to establish civilian control, then you have to have a coordinating headquarter that should be a technical coordinating headquarter,” said Sakhawat, a former election commissioner.

He proposed forming a joint chiefs of staff committee to strengthen the AFD and enable it to devise effective strategies for joint operations.

Lt Gen Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, commandant of the National Defence College, said there is a national committee on security, but it exists on paper only.

“Where is the committee when there is a serious crisis? Who would take the decision?” he asked.

Hasan said the defence minister and chiefs of the armed forces are there but people don't know from where the decisions come or who implement that.

Prime Minister's Security Affairs Adviser Maj Gen Tarique Ahmed Siddique (retd) said the country saw a long period of undemocratic rule, and as a result the national interest varied at different times, leaving a severe negative impact on national security.

The country now witnesses the emergence of terrorism and extremism, he said.

According to the adviser, the military regimes would not have existed unless they got some encouragement or collaboration from bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen and, at times, diplomats.

Tarique said the military personnel now must play their due role in defending the democratic order, which would build trust and confidence in civil-military relations.

Nasim Manzoor, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said they have no problem with the military getting involved in business.

“We have no problem in that as long as we know the rule of engagement, as long as there is a level playing field, as long as there is transparency,” he said.

In the post-July 1 reality, it is more important for the military to enhance intelligence and counter-intelligence capability, he said.

PM's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi said the Holey Artisan Bakery tragedy united the entire nation against terrorism.

“And this unity means that there is no space, no assistance will be forthcoming to anybody [militants],” he said.

BIISS DG Maj Gen AKM Abdur Rahman said inadequate exchange of information, lack of transparency and politicisation of the administration are some of the major problems with regard to the civil-military relations in many countries. 

The seminar was addressed by, among others, BIISS Chairman Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Prof Rasheduzzaman of international relations at the DU, Dr M Jayawardena of Kotewala Defence University in Sri Lanka, Economic Relations Division Senior Secretary Muhammed Mejbahuddin and AFD Principal Staff Officer Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman.