TERRORISM poses an ominous threat to Bangladesh economy following the militant attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan on July 01, 2016. The savage attack in an upscale restaurant has put to question our ability to provide protection to people, both local and foreign, and also cast a gloomy shadow over the prospect of congenial business environment in the country. Such an incident has rattled the nation when it is on a mission to achieve economic emancipation by attaining a sustainable and inclusive growth. Bangladesh is one of the few countries in the Asia-Pacific region that has been able to register a stable average gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.2 per cent during the last decade. Despite feeble global demand and fierce competition from countries like Vietnam where low value added exports are escalating, it has managed to maintain positive growth in exports.
If we fail to stop recurrence of such incidents, it may lead to presumed backsliding of foreign investment and concurrent capital flight from Bangladesh as investors feel insecure due to looming security concern. Not only that, implementation of big infrastructure projects like metro-rail may be lingered as foreigners working here suffer from security worries. Meanwhile, Germany, the second largest export market for Bangladesh, has termed Bangladesh as a high risk country and imposed a ban on direct flights from Dhaka to Berlin due to poor security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport which has led to an increase of shipment cost by at least 5.0 cents per kg. The cargos are now sent from Dhaka to different airports in Middle East. Items are then re-screened and sent to Berlin from the Middle East. In a bizarre situation like this we must be united and make a concerted effort to restore the lost confidence of investors. The government of Bangladesh has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and the situation is improving fast. Both tactical and strategic plans must be chalked out to proactively ferret out the hiding militants in society, their accomplices, patronisers and financiers and bring them under justice. Above all, the citizens of Bangladesh need to be aware of our ambiance and help the law enforcing authorities to combat the dark shadow of terrorism with a view to make our vision 2021 a reality.
Sarder Tawfiq Imam
36/ka Shahjadpur,
Ridoy Cottage
Gulshan, Dhaka
