Rajshahi and Chattogram, Bangladesh/29 April 2025: As global security dynamics shift, countering terrorism and violent extremism has become an increasingly complex challenge. Bangladesh, with its diverse population and significant counterterrorism challenges, recognizes that effective policing cannot be solely about enforcement. By emphasizing transparency, ethical leadership, and engagement with local populations, the Bangladesh Police are shifting towards a strategy where trust-building is seen as a core element of counterterrorism efforts. This requires recognition that combating these challenges requires more than just force—it requires legitimacy and mutual respect.
In this direction, 40 law enforcement officials from the District Counterterrorism Units, Range Police, Metropolitan Police, and the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Chattogram, and Sylhet Divisions were equipped with knowledge, skills and tools to integrate trust-building into counterterrorism efforts.
The series of trainings were part of an ongoing partnership between the Bangladesh Police and the UNODC, designed to enhance police capacities in addressing terrorism and violent extremism. Mr. Mohammad Abu Sufian, Police Commissioner, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police and Mr. Md. Ashraful Islam BPM, Additional DIG (Operations), Anti Terrorism Unit chaired the capacity building initiatives in Rajshashi and Chattogram.
Through a combination of presentations, interactive discussions, and hands-on exercises, participants delved into strategies such as procedural justice, ethical leadership, and effective communication.
Discussions emphasized fostering trust as a critical component of modern policing, introducing strategies for promoting procedural justice, ethical leadership, and effective communication.
The sessions provided insights into aligning policing practices with international best practices, ultimately enhancing public trust and reducing the appeal of extremist narratives.
One of the key components was developing a tailored action plan, designed to integrate these trust-building principles into daily policing practices. By focusing on community engagement and communication, the training aimed to reduce the appeal of extremist narratives and reinforce the police’s legitimacy within local populations.
This activity contributed to SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/
(Supported by Global Affairs Canada)
