A Secular Cultural Approach to

Deradicalization:
Bangladesh Perspective

Dr. M. Jashim Uddin

NSU
 Definition of Non-state actors (NSA)

 Non-state actors (NSA) are entities with sufficient power to

influence and cause a change even though they do not belong to any
established institution of a state; e.g., influential individuals,
religious groups etc.

 Violent Non-state Actors

 individuals or organizations that have economic, political or social
power to influence but do not belong to or ally themselves to any
particular state who employ violence in pursuit of their objectives,
militias, terrorists groups like Al-Queda,, Islamic state etc.
 Introduction
 Radicalization is one of the most dangerous threats to peace,
security, and development of the world.

 Radicalization is evident in South Asia, the birth place of Ahimsa;

Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh. Why?

 Inadequate attention towards the root causes of radicalization and the

methods of deradicalization

 Objectives:
 1. To identify the root causes of radicalization in Bangladesh
 2. To focus on the significance of secular culture in reducing
radicalization
 Violent Extremism: Bangladesh Perspectives

 Rise of violent extremism in Bangladesh in recent years; Jama‟atul

Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) nationwide terrorist attacks on 17
August 2005.

 Criminals were brought to justice; six JMB leaders were executed on

29 March 2007. Nevertheless, emergence New JMB over the last two
years or so, has killed university professors, writers, publishers,
bloggers, foreigners, policemen and members of religious minorities,
including Christians and Hindus.
 Violent Extremism: Bangladesh Perspectives
 The Holey Artisan terrorist attack in Dhaka in July 2016 causing
deaths of 17 foreigners, 3 Bangladeshis and 2 police officers jolted
the moderate Bangladesh; certainly damaging the image of
Bangladesh. Well educated people committed the heinous acts.

 This attack was followed by another attack on Sholakia Eidga in

Kishoreganj district. Islam is used as the driving philosophy for these
terrorists attacks

 Since then questions remained in many minds: How can well-

educated people be easily radicalized and kill themselves and others?
 The Islamic State reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks but
the government denied their involvement.
 Radicalization: Definition

Definition

 A person who is radical favors fundamental and sudden changes in

existing institutions due to their perceptions of the presence of
injustices by adopting hardline policies.

 A radical person or group of people do not have respect or

tolerance for other religions or cultures and want to impose their
own belief or philosophy on others and prefer to take a violent path
to achieve their goals. Radicals facilitate terrorism and encourage
others to become terrorists.
 Radicalization: Bangladesh Perspective

Two Types of radicalization in Bangladesh

 Leftist radicalization existed since the erstwhile East Pakistan

Key leftist radical groups: Purbo-Bangla Communist Party,

Sarbahara Party (Marxist-Leninist), Jono Juddho

 Religious radicalization in the name of Islam is a recent one

Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagroto Muslim Janata

Bangladesh (JMJB), and Harquat UL Jihad (HuJi) in Bangladesh,
Allahr Dal, Hizbut Tauhid
 Radicalization: Bangladesh Perspectives

Origin of religious radicalization in Bangladesh; Radical connection

to Afghan Mujahideen in 1980s

Demanding a radical transformation of political, judicial and

educational systems in Bangladesh

Major terrorists attacks:A total of 18 major terrorist attacks across

Bangladesh between March 1999 and November 2005. Execution of
the JMB terrorists leaders: Six JMB leaders were brought to justice
and executed on March 29, 2007

Reaction to the execution of the JMB leaders in Bangladesh

A Divided Nation
 Causes of Radicalization in Bangladesh
 1. Poverty and unemployment: One of the key causes behind the rise of
radicalization is poverty and unemployment in Bangladesh. For the
radicals, it is very easy to entice the innocent poor by various means and
thus increase the number of people in their camps.

 2. Illiteracy: People, who have little or no education, can easily be

indoctrinated by the radicals from inside and outside the country.

 3.Political Instability: Due to the political instability, intolerance and

conflict between the mainstream political parties, sometimes, lack of
democratic practice and repression against the opposite groups, political
parties based on religion strategically gain rooms in promoting their
values and ideologies.
 Causes of Radicalization in Bangladesh

  4. The Perception of Political Injustice: The groups who subscribe

radicalism think that their ideology or right is denied by the state, so
they are victim of political injustice, although state perceives that
their ideology insecure others rights.

 5. Anti-Islamic actions and Propaganda against Islam: The

ongoing propaganda against Islam, and the brutality and atrocity
going on against Muslims in Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir, Myanmar have
albeit contributed to the rise of extremism in Bangladesh. These
issues are of great importance to the radicals; they use these to stir up
innocent people’s emotions and thus may succeed in radicalizing
them, definitely for fulfilling their own vile interests.
 Causes of Radicalization in Bangladesh

 6. Religion in Politics: Some argued that there are political parties

in Bangladesh who often propose a combination of religion (Islam)
with politics and in doing so, they always present the concepts of a
state based on religion. Thus they knowingly or unknowingly
promote radicalization.

 7. Teaching of Radicalization: It is claimed that the students of

some religious schools are taught hatred and disrespect to the other
religions and cultures. They are taught the golden period of Islam
and asked to search the reasons behind the fall of the
influence/power of Islam in today’s world. The students also witness
the atrocities against Muslim worldwide. As a consequence,
sometimes, some of them become emotional and radical.
 Causes of Radicalization in Bangladesh
 8. Fighting against the existing secular system: People who are
illiterate and marginalized have been taught to fight against the
existing secular judicial system inherited from the British and
establish the rule of Islam or Sharia. The radicals believe that the
government follow and practice the Western values undermining the
values of Islam. This perception misleads them. Some people receive
distorted version religious education and may turn into radicals.
 A Secular Cultural Approach to
Deradicalization
Meaning of Secular Culture
 Giving equal treatment towards all religions and cultures; Upholding a
culture of tolerance and communal harmony

 Creating a peaceful environment where people do not grow any sense of

hatred toward different ideologies

Tools or elements of Secular Culture

 A secular education system; stressing equity and humanity
 Inter-faith dialogue; respect for each other’s faiths
 Cross cultural education; tolerance for cultural diversity
 A Secular Cultural Approach to
Deradicalization in Bangladesh

Prevailing Secular Culture in Bangladesh

 Equal treatment towards all religions (e.g. in Bangladesh, national

holidays are declared for the all major religious festivals)

 Participation of a large number of Muslims in other religious

festivals

 Most of the Bangladeshi celebrate secular festivals like Pohela

Baishakh, Rabindra and Nazrul Jointi
Prevailing Secular Culture
(Durga Puja in Bangladesh)

Hindu devotees offering prayers to Devi Durga during

Durga Puja, the largest Hindu religious festival in Dhaka
 Prevailing Secular Culture
(Easter Sunday Mass in Bangladesh)

Christian devotees participate in an Easter Sunday mass in

Dhaka, Bangladesh.
 Prevailing Secular Culture
(Buddha Purnima in Bangladesh)

Bhuddist devotees attend a mass prayer to mark Buddha

Purnima, the biggest religious festival of the Buddhists in
Dhaka, Bangladesh
 Prevailing Secular Culture
(Eid-ul-Fitr in Bangladesh)

Bangladeshi Muslims celebrating Eid ul Fitr in Kishorganj,

Bangladesh
 Prevailing Secular Culture
(Pohela Baisakh in Bangladesh)

Bangladeshi people celebrating Pohela Baishakh, the first day of

Bangla Calender, in Dhaka.
 Prevailing Secular Culture
(Pohela Baishakh in Bangladesh)

Bengali artists performing traditional dance in

Baishakhi Mela in Dhaka. Bengali culture is seen as
secular.
 A Secular Cultural Approach to
Deradicalization in Bangladesh (cont.)

 Insignificant number of seats secured in the national elections by

political parties based on religion

 The decisive defeat of the country’s political parties based on

religions in most of the parliamentary elections

 Strong demonstrations against the radicals have been evident across

the country; e.g., protests against the radicals destroyed the sculpture
of Baul Lalon Shah, in front of Dhaka Airport a few years back.
 A Secular Culture in Deradicalization in
Bangladesh (cont.)
Some Specific Recommendations

 A secular education system stressing equal treatment towards all

religions and cultures

 Teaching of historical non-violence, equity, humanity rather than

glory of war or victory of a particular religious group in the text of
primary level to high school level

 Modernizing the Madrasa curricula

 Increasing Inter-faith dialogues for promoting peaceful coexistence

 Role of Media in promoting deradicalization

 A Secular Cultural Approach to
Deradicalization in Bangladesh (cont.)

 Further research on radicalization

 Initiating dialogues among intellectuals, think tanks, civil society

and moderate Islamic scholars to prevent radicalization

 Establishing strict regulations to deal with social injustice

 Promoting the prevailing secular culture

 Active and proper role of role of international community in

deradicalization