Extremism: Challenge for Society and Democracy

Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) recently organized a policy circle discussion with the title “Extremism: Challenge for Society and Democracy” at The Westin, Dhaka. Dr. A. S. M. Ali Ashraf, Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka and Mr. Abul Kalam Azad, Independent Journalist and Researcher, were the esteemed speakers who streamlined the conversation by contributing their insightful perspectives on the topic under discussion. The attendees of the discussion included former Ambassadors, delegates from different embassies, representatives from international organizations, academicians, journalists and university students.

The moderator of the event Mr. Shafqat Munir, Senior Research Fellow, BIPSS, set the stage by highlighting the distinctive aim of the policy circle that how extremism is affecting the society and the state. While the current situation is much better than before, he also highlighted that “the absence of a successful terrorist attack does not denote the absence of terrorism.” Mr. Abul Kalam Azad listed a few of the main causes of people’s susceptibility to extremism.

These consist of: injustice, corruption, inequality, and discrimination, among others. Additionally, he believes that the emergence of extremist ideologies in people is a direct result of personal experiences such as trauma and loss. Dr. A. S. M. Ali Ashraf stated that since 1999 to 2024, in these 25 years, terrorism has taken different trajectories. Because of his experience in the field of “Terrorism and Political Violence,” he frequently approaches problems from a theoretical standpoint. Thus, based on theoretical viewpoints, he discovers four distinct types of extremism in Bangladesh and globally: left-wing extremism, right-wing extremism, faith-based extremism and extremism, including ethno-national groups and political violence.

The discussion ended with an interactive session.