DHAKA, Dec 13, 2023 (BSS) - Experts at an international webinar have termed 
Bangladesh's outstanding success in counterterrorism as a 'role model' of the 
world and said this success is not only helping Bangladesh's security and 
sustainable economic development but also in the region and beyond.

"Zero tolerance policy" adopted by the present government, led by Prime 
Minister Sheikh Hasina, on terrorism has immensely contributed to ensuring 
security at the national, regional and global levels, they told the webinar. 

"Global Forum for Violence-free Secular Democratic Bangladesh" organised the 
international webinar styled "Success in Combating Terrorism in Bangladesh 
and its Implications for Security in the Region and Beyond" on Monday in the 
USA.

They simultaneously stressed that the security cooperation between Bangladesh 
and the USA needs to be deepened in the interest of the people of both 
countries.

The webinar was moderated by valiant Freedom Fighter and Author Dr. Nuran 
Nabi, also a councilman of New Jersey, USA, while four experts joined the 
event as the panelists. 

Taking part in the webinar as a panelist, Paulo Casaca, the founder and 
Executive Director of the Brussels-based think tank- South Asia Democratic 
Forum, pointed out Bangladesh's outstanding role in counterterrorism at the 
national, regional and global levels. 

"Bangladesh has become a role model in anti-terrorism domain which has been 
widely lauded by the international community," he remarked. 

Chris Blackburn, a UK-based political analyst, put strong emphasis on 
counterterrorism and security issues, and said that during the BNP-Jamaat 
rule, there was Pakistanization of Bangladesh which needs to be critically 
looked at. 

He also mentioned the involvement of a Pakistani diplomat in 2015 with regard 
to the terrorism dynamics in Bangladesh.

A B M Nasir, a professor of Economics at the North Carolina Central 
University, observed that Bangladesh becomes important to the national 
security of the United States and suggested the security cooperation between 
Bangladesh and USA needs to be deepened in the interest of the people of both 
countries.

He also discussed how BNP-Jammat regime became a security threat to the 
people of Bangladesh and also to the national security of the United States. 

Speaking at the event, Dr. Md. Shariful Islam, an Associate Professor of 
International Relations at the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh's zero-
tolerance policy on terrorism under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government 
has immensely contributed to the security of India, particularly by 
addressing insurgency from Northeast India. 

Dr. Islam also argued that Bangladesh's zero-tolerance policy on terrorism 
also helped to the United States and the global community in the domain of 
international security.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Nuran Nabi, the moderator of the webinar, said 
that there has been a transformation in counterterrorism in Bangladesh under 
the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

He noted that Bangladesh is doing better compared to the United States and 
many European countries in the context of counterterrorism. 

The tremendous success of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in combating 
terrorism is not only helping in security and sustainable economic 
development in Bangladesh but also in the region and beyond, he mentioned.