Dealing with terrorism requires special legislation : Masud

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'Dealing with terrorism requires special legislation beyond criminal law to provide the military and security forces with necessary legal authority and tools of investigation to ensure the prosecution of suspected terrorists'.
The observation was made by Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury while inaugurating a week-long seminar titled " Developing Rules of Engagement and Combating Terrorism" jointly organised by Bangladesh Army and US Department of Defense at Dhaka Cantonment in the city , report BSS/UNB.
However, the PSO said, such legislation must be in conformity with international humanitarian and human rights law.
The seminar was organised with the help of the Defense Institute for Legal Studies (DIILS) and under supervision of Army Signal Brigade, an ISPR press release said.
Masud said, the government and its law enforcing agencies should always remember that promotion of these aspects was a critical element in effectively addressing terrorism.
Masud further said good governance and respect for human rights were key to effectively combating terrorism, a problem baffling the entire present-day world.
"Government and its law-enforcing agencies should always remember that promotion of international humanitarian and human rights law is a critical element in effectively addressing terrorism," he said.
About Rules of Engagement, the PSO said it was basically a means of providing guidance and instructions to commanders and personnel within the political and military objectives.
"Government provides political direction and guidance to commanders by means of Rules of Engagement, which govern the application of force."
Talking about terrorism, Masud Chowdhury said terrorism today transcended national boundaries and had become an issue of serious concern to the international community.
"Combating terrorism is a complicated matter involving the cooperative efforts of agencies within a country and the international community," he mentioned.
Masud Uddin said the media should be regarded as a friend and not a foe in combating terrorism and they could provide the public with accurate and objective information into this regard.
"Through freer flow of information between the law-enforcing agencies and the media, the quality of reporting would certainly be improved and would certainly favour us in combating terrorism," he added.
Representative of the American Embassy Colonel John Atkinson and other senior officials of military and civil administration were present at the inaugural function.