Washington: A former White House official has said that America has serious concerns about the increasing radicalism in Bangladesh. He also said that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had controlled extremism well in her country. Lisa Curtis, former deputy assistant to US President-elect Donald Trump and served as Senior Director of the National Security Council for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021, said this.
'Islamic extremists were released from jails'
Curtis said on Thursday, 'Bangladesh is at a critical juncture. There is much hope from the efforts to oust Sheikh Hasina from power and reform the political system. People hope that the democratic process will become stronger. But there is also a lot of concern. Some Islamic extremists have been released from prisons. 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 terrorists of Islamic State were present in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina did a good job in controlling the extremist problem in Bangladesh.
'We are going through a very delicate phase in Bangladesh'
Curtis said there is a concern that extremists will return to the political scene, which will not be good for Bangladesh. He said, 'This will not be good for the entire region, America or anyone. We are going through a very critical period in Bangladesh. So even though it may not be Trump's priority, I think his team, his national security team, will have to pay attention to what is happening there. Curtis also said that the incoming administration should work together with India because India is also concerned about the future of Bangladesh. He said that being a neighbor, India is affected the most. (Language)
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