Political conflict, extremism and criminal justice in Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s law enforcement and judicial system is tasked with suppressing the Awami League (AL) government’s political rivals, while also countering criminality and violent extremism. Over-stretched, it is failing both to enforce the law and to stabilise the polity. Current law and order challenges are largely rooted in the intense rivalry between the government and its political opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Jamaat-e-Islami ally. A resurgent extremist threat, symbolised by the killing of secular bloggers and foreigners and attacks on religious minorities in 2015 and in April 2016, adds to the security challenges. Despite relative peace on the streets, the country has yet to emerge from its cycle of political violence. The government’s heavy-handed, repressive response to challenges from the political opposition and to national security from extremists provokes violent counter-responses, aggravating pressure on a politicised police and judiciary. The resentment it fuels makes accommodation with the opposition and, by extension, internal stability, more elusive. By using force and denying justice, it also provides extremist organisations an opportunity to exploit the resultant alienation and justify their anti-state agenda. This report examines the factors driving political instability and contributing to insecurity, and assesses the criminal justice system’s capacity to contain the threat of rising extremism and criminality and help to stem democratic collapse.