UNB, Dhaka :
International researcher and Director of Research at the South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) Siegfried O Wolf has described Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) as a ‘major threat’ to Bangladesh democracy.
In his recent article published by the E-International Relations (E-IR), Wolf said the Ansarullah Bangla Team reflects a new and young generation of ‘jihadists’ in Bangladesh.
The main target group for recruitment is highly motivated and educated university students, especially those familiar with the English language and extraordinarily active in social media, the expert who has also worked as a consultant for the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, he wrote.
“In other words, ABT is searching for those who are media and technology savvy. Nevertheless, ABT members and sympathises can be found throughout the society,” he said.
Wolf, educated at the Institute of Political Science and South Asia Institute (SAI),
both at Heidelberg University, thinks the ABT is ‘heavily influenced’ by renowned extremist ideologues, such as Anwar Al-Awlaki who was killed by a US drone strike in 2011.
Giving his final thoughts about the ABT and the challenge for Bangladesh democracy, he said, “There’re no doubts that ABT, like most of radical Islamic fundamentalist organisation, categorically rejects democracy, negotiations, and especially consensus-based political decision-making.”
In other words, he wrote, deliberative political processes which require finding of compromises and making exceptions are outside of a fundamentalist ABT mind-set.
International researcher and Director of Research at the South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) Siegfried O Wolf has described Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) as a ‘major threat’ to Bangladesh democracy.
In his recent article published by the E-International Relations (E-IR), Wolf said the Ansarullah Bangla Team reflects a new and young generation of ‘jihadists’ in Bangladesh.
The main target group for recruitment is highly motivated and educated university students, especially those familiar with the English language and extraordinarily active in social media, the expert who has also worked as a consultant for the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, he wrote.
“In other words, ABT is searching for those who are media and technology savvy. Nevertheless, ABT members and sympathises can be found throughout the society,” he said.
Wolf, educated at the Institute of Political Science and South Asia Institute (SAI),
both at Heidelberg University, thinks the ABT is ‘heavily influenced’ by renowned extremist ideologues, such as Anwar Al-Awlaki who was killed by a US drone strike in 2011.
Giving his final thoughts about the ABT and the challenge for Bangladesh democracy, he said, “There’re no doubts that ABT, like most of radical Islamic fundamentalist organisation, categorically rejects democracy, negotiations, and especially consensus-based political decision-making.”
In other words, he wrote, deliberative political processes which require finding of compromises and making exceptions are outside of a fundamentalist ABT mind-set.
