::1 year of AL-led government::

Militancy and terrorism, which had posed a big threat to the nation during the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government, did not appear to be much alarming during the first year of the present Awami League-led government.

But the government cannot also claim that the menace has fully been eliminated.

Militancy could not rear its ugly head in the last one year although the AL-led government did not take up any remarkable step to root out militants who had wreaked havoc on the nation since 1999 through several deadly bomb attacks.

Tackling militancy and uprooting the problem is one of the five top-priority issues of the present government as promised in the Awami League's election manifesto announced a year ago.

Announcing the manifesto on December 12, 2008, AL chief Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, firmly said, "Terrorism and religious extremism will be dealt with an iron hand."

She also promised to form a South Asian task force, as part of her foreign policy, to meet the challenge of terrorism and militancy.

When senior Indian minister Pranab Mukherjee came to greet the new government soon after it took oath, the government raised the issue, but no effective action has yet been taken.

Similarly, there has been no clear initiative or vision on part of the government to fight militancy "with an iron hand".

The government has, however, formed a high-powered committee involving representatives from different ministries, law enforcement and intelligence agencies and directorates to initiate a vigorous anti-militancy campaign across the country.

Law enforcers dealing with terrorism and militancy said this committee could be the best forum for anti-militancy campaign but it is yet to perform up to the desired level.

During the last one year, law enforcement agencies arrested 97 local and foreign Islamist militants including Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh's explosives expert Zahidul Islam alias Boma Mizan, its Majlish-e-Shura member Mehedi Hasan alias Abeer, and Harkatul Jihad Al Islami's founder Abdus Salam.

The Rapid Action Battalion arrested 70 militants--46 operatives of JMB and 34 of other outfits including Huji. Detectives arrested 11 local and foreign militants while the Special Branch of police arrested 16 militants of the banned JMB and its offshoot Islam o Muslim.

Detective police also arrested Indian nationals Mufti Obaidullah alias Zafar and Maulana Mansur alias Habibullah in Bangladesh. The two leaders of Asif Reza Commando Force with close links with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba participated in the Afghan war and are trained in operating deadly weapons.

The crackdown on militants had started at the fag end of the BNP-led government's rule against the backdrop of national and international pressure. The drive was continued during the caretaker rule. It got momentum during the first year of the present government as some major local militants were held and the network of foreign militants within Bangladesh was busted.

The AL-led government also banned the international militant organisation Hizb-ut Tahrir in Bangladesh.

Investigators, especially the Detective Branch of police, officially revealed the existence of a few foreign militant organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, India-based Asif Reza Commando Force, and Kashmir-based Hizbul Mujahideen, which serves the Pakistani militants.

The authorities had always denied their existence.

These terrorist outfits, especially the LeT, have been operating in Bangladesh for more than a decade, but the intelligence agencies and the government either failed to unearth information on their existence or deliberately concealed such information.

Investigators believe the move to arrest operatives of foreign militant organisations in Bangladesh will contribute to fighting militancy as it will weaken the foreign links of local militants.

Replying to a question, DB Deputy Commissioner Monirul Islam who played a key role in arresting the foreign militants told The Daily Star that they have been quite successful in their drive against the militants and would continue it.

During the BNP-led four-party alliance's rule, a few BNP leaders promoted and patronised militancy in the country. The trial court has convicted former BNP minister barrister Aminul Haque to 31 years' imprisonment for patronising JMB.

After the execution of six top JMB leaders including its chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman and his second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai in 2007, the then caretaker government said the fate of militant patrons will be the same, but no step was taken to try them.

No spirited move was taken even during the last one-year rule of the AL to take stern legal action against the patrons of militancy. The anti-militancy drive was rather limited to arresting a few JMB leaders and activists.

Present JMB chief Maulana Saidur Rahman and his son Bashar, who are now playing key roles to keep the outfit operational, have not yet been arrested.

The last one year witnessed a bomb attack on AL lawmaker and Sheikh Hasina's nephew Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh. The incident took place after four years of the bomb attacks carried out by JMB.

The authorities did not find any militant link with the attack.

Rab Director General Hassan Mahmood Khandkar yesterday said militancy is "very much under control and the situation in Bangladesh is far better compared to other regional countries".

He, however, said they are not yet fully satisfied.