Second coming of Taliban and what it means for us
Bangladesh should now adopt a wait and watch policy, says former chair of the international relations department at Dhaka University Delowar Hossain
As news breaks of Taliban forces capturing Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, their return to power seems imminent. But what does Taliban's rise mean for Bangladesh, a country which in recent memory has come under the attack of extremist forces? Yashab Osama Rahman of The Business Standard talks to Prof Delwar Hossain, a former chair of the International Relations Department at Dhaka University, and also the director of the university's East Asia Center, and Touhid Hossain, a former foreign secretary, to learn what Bangladesh now needs to consider.
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An imminent threat
Dr Delwar Hossain is a professor of International Relations at Dhaka University
Twenty years of the US-backed Afghan government was there and the Taliban were there. Networking, because of media and online mechanisms, is easier. According to mainstream reports, an effort which may affect Bangladesh is already there.
The Taliban have captured power through armed takeover, but whether it is sustained and how it is consolidated will impact other soft issues. However, if Taliban stay in power, whether by sharing power by force, it will have an impact on terrorism or extremism. Bangladesh and South Asia will be affected. The impact it will have on Afghanistan will be reflected elsewhere.
Still it is an evolving situation. But who will be the main players is yet to be seen. No government has stayed in power in Afghanistan without external support. This support can come from regional powers or from others. The vacuum created by US withdrawal is already being filled by China, Russia and Pakistan.
We have to wait and see how they form the government and who recognises them. Their first test of credibility will be recognition.
For now, the problem of extremism persists in this belt. Even during the US-backed government, it was there. For now, it is a great threat and for South Asia the threat is returning.
As there is no regional peace initiative, with Saarc being ineffective, Bangladesh cannot do much without such an initiative. Bangladesh supports peaceful political processes, but this cannot be seen here.
With the Taliban in power, it may destabilise South Asia and it will present great risks to Bangladesh. So Bangladesh needs to rethink its foreign and security policies.
We should see what other nations do
M Touhid Hossain is a former foreign secretary of Bangladesh Government
We need to forget something for the years to come. Firstly, Afghanistan was truly never part of Saarc. All the other countries surround India, except Afghanistan. It is beyond Pakistan. Afghanistan, all said and done, is not South Asia. The country is more Central Asia…its culture is influenced by Iran. We physically welcomed them, but it is not South Asia.
But Afghanistan is very important for the countries here. For instance, India has made quite a considerable investment in Afghanistan. They expected an anti-Taliban government as the Taliban have historically been closer to Pakistan.
China is also invested in the Taliban. They want to make sure that the Taliban do not talk about Xinjian. They want the Taliban to only remain within Afghanistan.
And Taliban are not stupid. They will be accommodating. And they can be more restrained. It would be best for them to give some space to the current government. If they come to power completely by force, I fear they will have some problems with other international players.
Media reports now say that they are trying to communicate with the Taliban, but I do not think it will work much. Some say that the Taliban are different from before, but I do not believe that. There are already reports of them suppressing women.
As for Bangladesh, I may criticise the government sometimes, but I have high hopes for the country. Bangladesh is doing well and continues to do well. It will become a trillion-dollar economy. In terms of Afghanistan, there is nothing we can do right now. We should wait and watch.
If the Taliban do consolidate its power, then we should see what other nations do. There is no point going against the government now.
