Absence of participatory democracy aiding extremism in

"Absence" of participatory democracy and a political "vacuum" was encouraging the growth of extremism in Bangladesh, a senior oppostion leader of the country said today even as he called for "urgent" cooperation with India to eliminate terrorism.
Saying that Bangladesh was at a "crossroads", senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed demanded that free and fair polls be held to have an accounatable government alleging the incumbent Awami League dispensation was "suppressing" the voices of the opposition.
"In recent months, absence of a participatory democracy has encouraged the extremists and fanatic groups to go underground to take 17 valuable human lives which included bloggers, publishers, some members of Hindu community..." Ahmed said during an event organised by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) here.

Ahmed, a Prime Minister of Bangladesh between 1988-89 during the reign of military dictator H M Ershad, said these killings and the government's "failure" to track down the killers has caused a great amount of uncertainty, fear and a sense of insecurity in all sections of people.
"Because of having for all practical purposes a one-party government and their suppression of opposition, a political vacuum exists in the country creating opportunities for the extremist forces to take advantage of the situation.
"Bangladesh and India will have to work together urgently, if necessary with international support, to eliminate the forces of terrorism in this region," he said.

Islamist militants launched a sudden attack on a posh restaurant in Dhaka's upmarket Gulshan diplomatic zone on July 1 killing 22 people, including 19-year-old Indian girl Tarishi Jain among 20 foreigners.
The Islamic State had earlier claimed responsibility for the cafe attack but Bangladesh government said home-grown Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) had carried out both the assaults.