‘Stop terror financing to uproot extremism’
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury yesterday underscored the need for stopping terrorist financing to uproot extremism from the country.
She was speaking at the inauguration of the “National conference on countering violent extremism” organised by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at a convention centre in the capital.
Members of different law enforcing agencies, representatives of NGOs, teachers and students, media representatives attended the first day of two-day conference, the first of its kind in the country.
“Terrorist financing must be stopped, and Bangladesh Bank is already working on the matter,” said Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
The Speaker further said since it is the era of information technology, counter-narratives of terrorist ideologies should be placed and published in social media.
Dr Gowher Rizvi, international affairs advisor to the prime minister, said extremists raised their heads three years back, but the situation has improved thanks to a concerted effort led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
CTTC unit chief Monirul Islam said though many government and non-government organisations have been working to prevent or counter violent extremism in Bangladesh for the last couple of years, there is no platform to share experience and work in a coordinated way.
“…During awareness-raising campaigns, some sensational remarks or opinion in some cases are creating ‘premature’ reactions and making the campaign against terrorism questionable,” he told the conference.
Speaking at the conference, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller said, “The United States provided over $35 million in counter-terrorism assistance to Bangladesh since 2016, including training on investigations, bomb disposal and countering cyber-crime.”
UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo also spoke, among others.
Comments