The tragic assassination attempt against Inqilab Mancha spokesperson and prospective candidate Osman Hadi has sparked renewed debate about Bangladesh’s civilian and national security requirements.  

The investigation of Hadi’s shooting is still underway, and it is thus too early to say with certainty who is directly or indirectly responsible for the attack.  At the same time, there is reasonable speculation about internal and external actors who had a motive to target Hadi specifically and Bangladesh’s democratic transition more broadly.

Sadly, there may be others who will be similarly targeted as the campaigns get underway.    

It is important to understand how this attack took place and to do all that is possible to prevent a recurrence.

Regardless of whether the assailants are found to be domestic or internationally supported actors, Bangladesh’s government and society need to undergo a period of soul searching about how they can best work together to address pressing security concerns. 

The temptation will be to overreact and look for an easy way out, including looking primarily to Bangladesh’s military to take over responsibility for domestic security. While this is understandable, as Bangladesh’s history shows, there are great risks that would accompany such an approach.  

In fact, it may be playing into the hands of the terrorists. After all, those who carried out the attack against Osman Hadi likely wanted to provoke an overreaction by the authorities.

They would seek to create martyrs and to blur the distinction between the crimes of the previous government and its successor.

At this moment, Bangladesh needs to use all the tools at its disposal to fulfil Chief Advisor Yunus’ pledge of free, fair and festive elections.

First, the government must take the population into confidence about the risks and shared responsibility to provide for good elections.  

Bangladesh’s population demonstrated great courage and unity during July and August 2024, and this spirit needs to be re-energized in the weeks leading up to the election. Clearly, there is a role for the armed forces (as is always the case during elections), but this is a mission for which they are not ideally trained or equipped. The armed forces can and should act in support of the civilian government and law enforcement agencies.

The leadership of the relevant organizations also need to be held accountable for their performance.    

At the same time, longstanding issues related to civil-military relations and the legacy of previous governments’ politicization of the security forces and intelligence agencies present obstacles to effective coordination.

The moment also calls for a strong diplomatic effort by the government to enlist the international community in an effort to counter terrorists based outside the country’s borders, to include those who provide financing and other support. Most notably, the government must redouble efforts to convince India to crack down on the Awami League infrastructure now established in a safe haven there and using that to destabilize Bangladesh.  

This is true whether or not Hadi’s assailant has ties to foreign elements or not.  All of Bangladesh’s friends should share the goal of free, fair and festive elections. Other friendly countries, to include the United States, can help the government put in place adequate security plans and provide support to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Over the longer term, Bangladesh needs to develop a national security strategy that forms the basis for decisions on the investments that will be needed to properly train and equip civilian law enforcement agencies, who need to be depoliticized and professionalized, as well as the country’s armed forces.    

In this context, for example, I find the current national fixation with the procurement of expensive fighter aircraft to be a case of misplaced priorities. Like every other area of public policy, governing requires making choices. I understand why Air Force officials can make arguments for new aircraft, but the question that policy-makers need to ask themselves is whether this is the investment that will yield the highest returns for today’s Bangladesh.  

From my perspective, it is not.

As the political parties put together their campaign manifestos and prepare for the election, they should include discussion of these critical issues related to national security, civil military relations, and Bangladesh’s international partnerships. In my mind, it was a mistake for the interim government to avoid taking on some of these important (albeit difficult) issues as part of its reform process.

Given this, it is all the more important for Bangladesh 2.0 that the next government is prepared to address these issues to fulfill any government’s primary responsibility to provide for the security of its citizens.  

This is the best way to honor the sacrifices of Osman Hadi, Abu Sayed, and the thousands of others who have fought to regain the country’s freedom.