Washington: A former White House official has said that the US has serious concerns about growing radicalization in Bangladesh. He also said that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had controlled extremism well in her country. This was stated by Lisa Curtis, a former deputy assistant to US President-elect Donald Trump and who served as the National Security Council’s senior director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021.
‘Islamic extremists released from jail’
“Bangladesh is at a critical juncture,” Curtis said on Thursday. Efforts to remove Sheikh Hasina from power and reform the political system have raised hopes. People hope that the democratic process will become stronger. But there is also concern. Some Islamic extremists have been released from prison. There have been attacks on Hindus, Christians and other minorities. We have seen the history of terrorism in Bangladesh. In 2016 Holi (artisan) bakery was attacked. This was a very serious incident. Some Islamic State terrorists were present in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina did a good job in controlling the extremism problem in Bangladesh.
‘We are going through a very critical phase in Bangladesh’
Curtis said there was concern that extremists would return to the political scene, which would not bode well for Bangladesh. He said, ‘This will not be good for the region as a whole, for America or for anyone. In Bangladesh we are going through a very critical time. So even though it’s not Trump’s priority, I think his team, his national security team, has to pay attention to what’s going on there. Curtis also said that the incoming administration should work with India as India is also concerned about the future of Bangladesh. He said that India is the most affected by being a neighbour. (language)
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