Dhaka a committed partner in int'l coalition against terror

"Bangladesh has condemned acts of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, irrespective of motives, perpetrators and victims. We believe it poses a threat to international peace and security and is a violation of human rights," he said.

He was delivering his keynote speech in the daylong seminar titled "Bangladeshi Perspectives on the Global War on Terror," at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) in London.

Reaz Rahman said the majority of the people in Bangladesh feel that militancy and fundamentalism are alien to the country and counter to the ethos of the people who espouse moderation and tolerance.

"Today", he added, "There is a deep-rooted anger in Bangladesh society, including the religious nucleus, over the efforts to distort Islam and undermine the country's image."

He mentioned various short- and long-term measures taken by the government to rein in the terrorists.

Reaz Rahman said, "Confrontational politics…weakening governance, especially law and order, have certainly created a climate conducive to the encroachment of criminal terrorism, violence and militancy."

On the possible links between domestic and international militants, Reaz said links to al-Qaeda have never been proved while links between HUJI-B and JMB and JMJB are yet to be established.

He said the government's counter-terrorism crackdown has achieved tangible success as it has disrupted the terrorists' command chain and a huge stock of explosives has been unearthed.

Director for Defence and Strategic Threats at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mariot Leslie, former High Commissioner Peter Fowler, Robert Bradnock of London King's College, Chatham House associate fellow Charu Lata Hogg, and Jeremie Codron of the

Paris-based Centre for International Studies and Research, among others, attended the seminar.