Failures
Facts, admittedly, are disconcerting but then did not the intelligence fail when father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with most of his immediate family members and other near relations were murdered in the most gruesome manner? Similarly, intelligence also failed when state apparatus could not prevent the tragic assassination of President Ziaur Rahman, the liberation war hero.

Nearer home intelligence services could not prevent the sad deaths of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. The smart Brits and the overbearing Americans could not forestall the 7/7 or the now infamous 9/11. The discerning observer may find it interesting to venture further past into the last stages of the second world war when the failure of German intelligence facilitated the successful Normandy landings of the allied forces and the great Field Marshal Erwin Rommel proceeding on leave found himself in a very uncomfortable corner reaching home to join his dear wife on her birthday after buying a pair of fancy Italian shoes from Paris.

Organisational climate
The catalogue of intelligence failures could be stretched further for academic discourses around a roundtable for analytical study but not much would be achieved if we as a nation refuse to go by the norms and rules of a democratic polity. This is obvious because a disease can not be treated by denying its very existence. We had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a very sensitive intelligence organisation working principally for the whims and caprices of a virtual dictator and using public funds for creating and destabilising political parties, political horse-trading and shadowing people on personal and flimsy grounds. No wonder in such a scenario the professional efficiency is sacrificed and public servants turn into personal servants with the attendant ignominy.

The mission and strategy of our intelligence organisations had not been stable at least insofar as the domestic threat perception is concerned. It invariably changes with the change of a political government. Differing political agenda often tend to cloud the pragmatic understanding of our real national interests.

Strategy and direction
The broad function of maintaining public order for ensuring internal security is closely associated with the task of collecting and collating intelligence in the interest of the state. In reality, in our situation, the interests of the state often get diluted and mixed up with the interests of the government of the day. The situation is marked by an unfortunate lack of understanding and appreciation of the requirements of the state and the government in a democratic and pluralist society like ours. The unpleasant truth is that intelligence agencies maintain file and shadow the leaders and workers of pronouncedly constitutional politics-oriented parties belonging to the opposition who are recognised partners in the business of politics. At some point of time when such opposition party comes to power, there is an uneasy relationship between the political masters and the agencies. In such a scenario, professionalism becomes the worst casualty, sense of direction is lost, the organisation dips into a lackadaisical environment and interests of the state take a back seat giving greater space to partisan considerations. Needless to say that the values of a democratic polity are universal and as such demand unconditional adherence to it.

Intelligence agencies of the region and beyond cooperate for mutually beneficial reasons but the national agency is expected to be able to effectively serve national interests if directed appropriately by the political authority. If they (agency) have to remain preoccupied with largely inconsequential partisan matters to the detriment of national interest, then we will not be able to manage the crisis situation, not to speak of forestalling the tragedies of recent times. We have been criticizing the agencies very loudly without, however, appreciating the impediments to the growth of an apolitical professional organisation. Time has come when we must have the honesty to call a spade a spade and realise that the governments will change hands but not the state.

In Bangladesh today, we are passing through a sad time when doubts are being expressed publicly about the efficacy and honesty of some vital organs of the state whose functions can neither be arrogated to others nor be privatised. The compounding tragedy is that such criticisms by leaders of our society can not be summarily dismissed. It would not be prudent to treat a disease by denying its very existence. At the same time we cannot give in to the cynics by agreeing to endure what can not be cured. We can definitely overcome the impasse by dint of political goodwill and foresight if we admit that the damage caused during the yesteryears have to be repaired and the safety and security of the people will receive unbiased attention. Let us be forewarned that progress in the damage repairing will be slow but if we can muster enough courage to initiate the process and avoid being myopic, our future generations would be the proud citizens of a healthy polity. Our politicians have to take the lead. They have to rise to the occasion.

The perspective
While the agencies and the police must unearth and detect the bomb blast cases and prevent such incidents from happening by dint of quality intelligence, they cannot be expected to put a complete stop to such incidents because of circumstances beyond their control. Extreme views advocating and implementing annihilation of the opponent is a sad socio-political reality of our society and in rooting out this menace the police is at best a marginal player. Similarly, the so-called extermination campaign of class enemy by apparently ideologically motivated elements can not be effectively controlled by adopting a purely conventional law and order approach. Extremism of the so-called fundamentalist variety can be countered by a joint strategy of persuasion and tough action, with political direction being conspicuously pronounced. In all these matters, the acumen needed is political sagacity and patience to fight the painfully long battle against extremist depredations and insurgency.

If it is a political battle with armed support and not the other way, we will definitely overcome the present predicament sooner than apprehended. Violence must not be allowed to be a way of our life along with a political consensus to abjure it. The police, admittedly, in this regard has a secondary role to perform and that relates to prevention of some description and intensive investigation once the damage has been done. Let us make sustained efforts to facilitate the police organisation in acquiring the hallmarks of a professionally upright body.

Political imperatives
In striking the core of the problem and offering durable long-term remedies what should engage the serious attention of our leaders is the dispassionate study of the rise of violence and extremism in our political life. It needs to be seen whether some institutions are promoting violence as a means to achieve partisan political objectives and what actions could be taken to convince young people to abjure violence as a way of life. At the same time the areas affected by extremist/fundamentalist activities must come under special surveillance to nab the incorrigible hardcore elements. The government's authority must be conspicuous in such places.

The menacing reality of physical annihilation of political opponent is a phenomenon of comparatively recent origin. What is needed is strong political will resulting into demonstrable actions. The de-criminalisation of the political process will surely prove to be a challenge of an uphill task. In this task there is no alternative to success because we have committed ourselves to a democratic way of life and undoubtedly no democrat can allow the aberration of violence to interpose between the nation and the polity.

We have to decide if violent deaths from grenade attack and bomb blast should be allowed to continue as a pathetic recurrent reality on the national scene as is the situation now. Civility demands that all instances of such deaths be treated apolitically and efforts made to de-link violence from the mainstream politics. The language of reason must take precedence over the language of weapon to prevent us from sliding into an ungovernable scenario. We have to catch the not-so-invisible enemy by the forelock because the follies of democrats will undoubtedly solidify obscurantism of the worst type.

Muhammad Nurul Huda is former Inspector General of Police and Secretary to the Government.