Bangladesh tells SAARC meet it will break nexus of terrorism

The Bangladesh high commissioner in Pakistan has said the government is determined to break the nexus of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation “at any cost”.

Tarik Ahsan said Bangladesh believes regional cooperation is “an effective way forward”.

He led a Bangladesh delegation at the SAARC home ministers’ meeting in Islamabad on Thursday.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has skipped the meeting, but the government has not cited any reason.

Dhaka, Islamabad relations have hit a low in recent years over Pakistan’s reactions to Dhaka’s war crimes trial.

Bangladesh, which fought a brutal, bloody war with Pakistan to earn independence in 1971, now considers Islamabad’s statements over the trial of the Bangladeshi collaborators as interference.

Both capitals have summoned each other’s envoy on several occasions over the issue.

The high commissioner thanked Pakistan for “excellent arrangements” for this meeting.

“We consider this important SAARC Ministerial meeting very timely, when we are facing terrorism and violent extremism, both globally and locally,” Tarik said, as his speech mostly focused on the recent terrorist attacks in Dhaka.

He mentioned the government’s “prompt response” and said “we are working closely with other countries, regional organisations and the United Nations to fight this menace”

“We have joined the Global Community Resilience and Engagement Fund (GCERF) as a founding member,” he said.

“Within SAARC, we have adopted our own Convention on Suppression of Terrorism, Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance.

“It is time for us to effectively utilize these Conventions to our benefit.

He said Bangladesh will host the sixth Regional Task Force meeting in December to consider amendments to the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children.

Pakistan’s interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan chaired the meeting which was held ahead of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November.