Editorial
The tragedy in Mumbai
Saarc must stand as one against terror
We strongly condemn the barbaric terror attacks which have once more claimed lives in Mumbai and left scores of others injured. Our prayers go out to the families of the dead and to those who have been wounded. In their hour of grief, we as well as the broad mass of Bangladesh's citizens stand with the people and government of India as they struggle to defeat the forces of terrorism.
There can be no compromise with terrorism because, irrespective of caste, creed, faith or nationality, terrorism militates against the fundamental values which keep society throbbing and alive in the pursuit of all that is good and noble. What has happened in Mumbai less than three years after the mayhem of 2008 is the mindless work of a small minority seeking to achieve its nefarious purposes by means foul and despicable. We hold that the majority of people everywhere believe in human dignity and in the right of all to share the opportunities which life has on offer. And because they do, this new act of terrorism in Mumbai is repugnant to people not just in India but across the globe as a whole.
The attacks in Mumbai are a wake-up call for us all in Bangladesh. That we should not be suffering from any complacency where keeping tabs on terror is concerned is the message which once more comes to us loud and clear. We appreciate the state of alert the Bangladesh government has displayed in these past two years and a half. A state of constant vigil, now in place, must be raised to levels even higher for us to stay many steps ahead of these merchants of fear.
Almost all Saarc countries have been severe victims of terror as such, they should be united in their fight against it. They must coordinate more intensely to be effective against terror. Mere lip service to handling terrorism is pointless unless concrete, region-wide sharing of intelligence and focused, coordinated actions are in place. One must not forget that terrorism knows no national boundaries, which is why combating it on a collective scale is today a dire necessity.
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