Close civil-military ties for national integration stressed

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Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has said a close and cooperative civil-military relationship would be a healthy component of national integration and a big investment in the national security of Bangladesh.
He made the remarks while speaking at the concluding session of a five-day workshop on "Democracy, Governance and Security" in the city Thursday, reports UNB.
US Charge d'Affaires Geeta Pasi and Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies (APCSS) Ed Smith also spoke at the session that recommended a set of reforms to improve democratic governance and security in Bangladesh.
BIISS Chairman Amba-ssador Mufleh R Osmany presided over the session.
The adviser appreciated the role of Bangladesh military in critical juncture of the nation.
Despite this, he said, many people tend to entertain some misgivings about its perceived ambitions to capture political power on the perceived failure of the political community to run the affairs of the state.
"As a result, a wide gap between the military and their civilian counterparts is palpable in their mutual perceptions."
Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said the role of security forces in a democracy is defined by the cardinal principle of civilian supremacy in the affairs of the state.
He, however, said that in a society inflicted with violence and crimes with trans-border links, they might assume a more robust role warranted by the demand of ensuring proper law and order, peace and stability and uninterrupted development process.
The adviser said the immediate task of the caretaker government was to meet the expectations of the people.
However, some of the long-term challenges pertain to evolving the model of democracy that suited the realities in Bangladesh, having both democracy and stability judiciously accommodating both market forces and public delivery service.
The workshop, jointly organised by BIISS and APCSS, made an eight-point recommendation to improve the governance and another 10-point recommendation to improve the security system in Bangladesh.
On key issues of governance, the workshop suggested effective parliament, political party reforms, rule of law and access to justice, combating corruption, accountability and transparency, effective local governments with devolution of power, strengthening of state institutions and structure of government to clarify separation of power.
In security sector reforms, the workshop suggested civilian control of security forces, national security strategy, law and order, enhanced capacity and professionalism of security force, armed forces, police, intelligence, paramilitary forces, terrorism and poverty.
To achieve the civilian control of security forces, it recommended operationalising and expanding National Security Council, appropriate budgetary control, effective parliamentary committee on defence and appointment of a full-time defence minister.
On national security strategy, the workshop suggested developing a comprehensive and effective national security strategy by integrating defence needs and civilian concerns.