Intelligence agencies at a glance
Our intelligence agencies at best could be described as investigation agencies of sorts. Frankly if you take a closer look, there is hardly any qualitative difference between the intelligence and other regular law enforcing agencies like the police.
Without any exception, intelligence agencies like DGFI, NSI, CID, etc. are nothing but instruments at the disposal of respective governments being used and abused as desired. We have seen time and again how intelligence reports have been manipulated and twisted to suit the purpose of whoever is in power.
This state of affairs had been persisting for decades. As a result people are deprived of justice. One must realise that if the process of gathering someone in the intelligence is faulty its impact also falls on the entire Judiciary and ultimate dispensation of Justice.
It is our impression that the whole lot of intelligence agencies is also as corrupted as any other wing of the administration; although they are not as exposed as the other organs of the government due to the statutory provisions connected with their operations.
On the other hand, people in general are unaware as to the jurisdictions and limitation of the individual intelligence agencies. For instance, many have questioned DGFI for its alleged involvement in investigating or interfering in cases purely related to the civil sector as a whole. We often hear of DGFI being involved in cases connected with corruption of individuals of political leaders and other cases that are purely of political nature.
Clearly there has to be clarity. In a democracy, people have the right to know as to which of the governmental departments or agencies, whether intelligence agencies or otherwise of the state, are doing what and why. To this extent, the operations of our intelligence agencies are far from transparent.
Our intelligence agencies, right from day one, have been unreliable and untrustworthy. It is indeed a sad situation and perhaps an irreversible one. Almost always, the heads of the agencies have been favourites of the Ruling Party of the time without any exception. Besides even the level of professionalism of the respective organisations have been questionable.
On the other hand, most of the staff working for our intelligence agencies does not have the required morality and ethics. If our intelligence agencies are not right, the police and other law enforcing agencies cannot operate effectively.
So far we have briefly described as to where we stand in relation to our intelligence agencies and the peoples' perception. But let us think for a while as to why they are the way they are.
Clearly, like in so many issues of our administration, all this is also due to a lack of political will and commitment on the part of the Ruling Parties and powerful people within and outside the government. Nearly all the staff at the field levels, in particular, has no professional training in intelligence work with their CEOs being beholden to the administration and its whims.
Let us face it, the problems with our agencies are not only complex but mountain high. The first and foremost task that lie ahead is to make our intelligence agencies free from all undue governmental influence and pressures. They should be allowed to operate without fear and favour.
Individuals selected to head individual intelligence agencies must command impeccable of character and honesty free from any kind of religious bias whatsoever. They must also be free from any partisan thinking and capable of withstanding any political pressures and influence.
We have already paid heavy prices for faulty and incomplete intelligence reports on some key incidents of national importance that threatened even the security of the nation. Let us turn our gaze at the BDR revolt that took place some two years ago.
Since this is a sensitive and ongoing issue we shall not go into details but should mention that most people have considerable idea as to what really happened and the role of the intelligence agencies during and after the incidence.
Confusion also exists with the family of slain political leader and senior government official of international repute SAMS Kibria who died in a bomb blast in Sylhet some two years ago. Clearly the allegation appears to be that of manipulation and possible doctoring of the report aimed at keeping some key players out of any "harm." There are simply too many invisible lapses and gaps in our intelligence gathering and operation of respective agencies.
It is high time we set things right. The entire framework and the very structure of our intelligence agencies should be overhauled forthwith. If need be as many officials as possible should be sent overseas to receive training from such organisations like the Scotland Yard and Interpol.
Instead of good will visits by the chiefs; more of key personnel staff at mid-level and below should be trained, after all it is they who do the bulk of the vital work at ground levels.
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