Speech on Concept of National Security By Mr. Farooq Sobhan President, BEI National Defence College 1 st of February 2012 Lt. Gen Mollah Fazle Akbar, Commandant of the NDC, Senior Directing Staff of the NDC, NDC Course Members 2012, Aas Salaamu A laikum and Good Morning. Introductory Comments It is a great pleasure to be here speaking at the NDC once again. The topic of today s discussion is of great significance to Bangladesh as a nation. An understanding of the concept and constituents of Bangladesh s national security is of great importance not only for the Armed Forces but also for policy makers and stakeholders in the government. For our deliberation today, I would first like to clarify national security in regard to its evolving definition. Then I would like to discuss the various constituents that influence the national security of Bangladesh and the various mechanisms that can be employed for national security to be 1
managed effectively. I would then like to examine the role of the Armed Forces in preserving national security including traditional roles played by the military as well as its evolving role in a complex security environment. Finally I would like to draw your attention to the need for civil military collaboration to envision a sound National Security Strategy for Bangladesh. Definition of National Security: Traditional and Non-Traditional Various attempts at defining national security have been made, although in certain views, there is no universal definition, as it means different things to different countries. A distinction between traditional (and Western oriented) definitions of national security, broadened definitions and definitions specifically applicable to Third World countries has also developed. The traditional definition of national security during the Cold War was the protection of the state and its vital interests from attack by other states. Following the end of the Cold War, the understanding of national security shifted to the threats to individual citizens and to our way of life, as well as to the integrity and interests of the state. This change in the concept of national security emphasizes the fact that following the end of the Cold War, the security environment has passed from a bipolar system to a complex one, while the threats are more and more complex. In January 1992, the first ever Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Security Council issued a statement that the traditional view of national security was no longer applicable in the late twentieth century, and now extended to various other issues, including humanitarian needs and the 2
environment. The rise of transnational terrorism has also led to new understandings of security and the need for new approaches to growing transnational crime. The National Security of Bangladesh and Contingent Factors Bangladesh s national security must be examined within both national and international spheres. From a national perspective Bangladesh s security is contingent on political security, economic security, demographics, societal security, environmental security and energy security. Political Security: Governance, law and order and human rights are key constituents of political security in Bangladesh. Bangladesh s national security is thus contingent on the government s implementation of good governance in the public domain, the maintenance of law and order by law enforcement agencies and the ability of state and non state actors to effectively address human rights issues. Economic Security: Economic security in Bangladesh can be assessed in terms of the condition of having stable income or other resources to support a standard of living now and in the foreseeable future. The economic security of Bangladesh also depends on the level of employment and inflation. Demographics: Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a total of 1142.29 people per square mile as of 2010. (World Bank). This large population combined with resource constraints creates pressure on jobs, educational opportunities and hikes up prices of food and 3
rent. Large scale migration in urban areas which lack adequate facilities to provide shelter and employment leads to congestion and the creation of slums. Societal Security: Gender inequality, violence against women and drug abuse are issues of social security which impinge on the national security of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has made great progress in the sphere of women s empowerment over the years but the issue of drugs continues to be a national security concern. Although Bangladesh is not a drug producing country, it is a destination country of drug smuggling from some neighboring countries as well as a transit country for drug trafficking to countries further afield. Environmental Security: Environmental issues may threaten the national security of a nation and this is all the more prevalent in a low lying disaster prone country like Bangladesh. The fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that a 1 meter rise in sea level will displace 14.8 million people in Bangladesh. Environmental disasters like tropical cyclones, storm surges, floods, tornadoes and droughts ravage the country almost every year, even several times a year. In addition to being the most vulnerable country to sea level rise, Bangladesh is also vulnerable to Climate Change which affects the suitability of land for different types of crops, livestock, fish and pasture. Climate Change is predicted to have an impact on health and productivity of forests, the incidence of pests and diseases, biodiversity and ecosystems. Thus Climate Change, combined with the environmental vulnerability of Bangladesh, may further exacerbate food, water and human security threats. 4
Energy Security: While Bangladesh has posted robust economic growth averaging over 6 percent over the past several years, poor infrastructure especially unreliable power supply remains a significant constraint on growth. Studies show that poor quality supply costs the country as much as 2 percent in GDP growth each year. Manufacturers, surveyed in a World Bank s Investment Climate Assessment, estimate that power shortages cost them around 12 percent in lost sales on an annual basis. The national security of Bangladesh also has an international aspect. International sharing of water, terrorism, human trafficking and transnational crime are some of the key factors that affect the national security of Bangladesh. Water Issues: Bangladesh is a downstream country and the security of her water resources is integral to the safety and security of the nation. The sharing of water has caused political tension and disputes between Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Nepal, with colossal economic consequences for the region International terrorism: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly stressed that her administration will not allow terrorists to operate in Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh has made great inroads in the suppression of terrorism it must remain vigilant to offset any efforts by international terrorist organizations from using Bangladesh as a safe haven. Trafficking: Human trafficking has emerged as a major security concern in Bangladesh. Due to the porous South Asian borders, women and girls are 5
trafficked to India, Pakistan, and Middle Eastern countries, with India, emerging as a major source, transit corridor, and host country for trafficked populations owing to its size and central location. Interlinked with the issue of illegal migration and human trafficking is the exploitation of women and children through forced prostitution and sex slavery contributing to the spread of HIV and STDs in the region. Transnational Crime: Smuggling is rampant across the porous borders between India and Bangladesh with cattle, rice and all forms of consumer goods being transferred illegally across the borders. Despite the negative economic impact of smuggling of consumer goods, the most nefarious form of smuggling is in arms and drugs. Organized criminal groups have been reported to smuggle phensidyl and yabaa across Myanmar, India and Bangladesh. How is National Security to be managed? Bangladesh s answer to the future coordination of the security strategy architecture will provide the transformation and adaptation directions, including the armed forces. Some measures that the government may take include: a. Constituting a Parliamentary Committee on National Security to help monitor the implementation and development of this strategy. 6
b. Strengthening the capability to offer a strategic perspective on security priorities and improve connections between defense, development, foreign and domestic security strategies. c. Creating a national security forum which includes representatives from government, politics, academia and others, to discuss strategy and exchange ideas d. Like in the United Kingdom, there can be the publication of a National Risk Register and an annual update on the security challenges facing Bangladesh and progress on implementing the strategy The role of Armed Forces as regards National Security including and beyond the more obvious boundaries of defense, internal security and peacekeeping to: The basic role of the armed forces in the context of national security can be a. Detect, deter, prevent, or, if necessary, defeat external threats or aggression to the nation b. Be prepared to respond to catastrophic incidents as appropriate or as directed, and c. Integrate and operate with its national and international partners to achieve unity of effort. At the strategic level the Armed Forces aims to detect, deter, prevent, or, if necessary, defeat threats as far from the homeland as possible. The solution 7
includes unified action founded on national strategies. The armed forces of Bangladesh play a role in air and space defense, land defense and maritime defense. In addition to its contribution within the country, the Bangladesh military has achieved recognition and gratitude for its contribution to the U.N peacekeeping forces. According to the latest press release by the UN, at present 99,016 peacekeepers of 114 countries are deployed across the world. Bangladesh is the largest contributing nation to U.N peacekeeping efforts and has deployed 10,394 troops. Thus the Bangladesh Military has heightened the image of the country abroad and displayed professionalism and integrity in foreign countries under adverse circumstances In addition to the more obvious role of defense, internal security and peacekeeping, the armed forces may play a role in preserving national security by undertaking some non traditional roles. Some of these non conventional services that the armed forces in Bangladesh undertake at the behest of national security are the following: a. Armed forces may be directed to assist civilian authorities in order to save lives, protect property, enhance public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe. They maintain many unique capabilities that can be used to mitigate and manage the consequences of both natural and man made disasters and must be prepared to provide support to state and local authorities. 8
b. The armed forces could also assist in limited scope missions, like special events such as the Cricket World Cup. c. Overall the Armed Forces of Bangladesh not only preserves the sovereignty of the country but forms an integral component of nation building, provides rewarding careers to young men and women and serves as a dependable force in times of national crises Need for better understanding between Military and Civil authority in order to have a sound National Security Strategy To build a cohesive National Security Strategy for Bangladesh, there are two immediate requirements. Firstly there must be an understanding of the concepts and components of national security as it relates to Bangladesh, as well as clarification of the range of duties and responsibilities of the concerned stakeholders. Secondly consensus must be reached on the constituents of the strategy by civil and military stakeholders. To meet the first requirement the civil society can undertake extensive research, advocacy and deliberation on this issue. The second requirement can be met by robust civil military deliberations on the constituents of the National Security Strategy. Thus a cohesive civil military relationship is a prerequisite for building a National Security Strategy for Bangladesh, which would enable the country to effectively address the key national security concerns of terrorism, insurgency and resources security. In order to ensure the safety and security of our nation, stakeholders from military and civil society must engage in robust discussions aimed at minimizing 9
communication and operational gaps and promulgate concerns and recommendations to envision a National Security Strategy. A collaborative effort by military, civil authorities and experts is required to create such a strategy to prepare Bangladesh for the complex security challenges of the 21 st century. I would like to conclude by saying that each country s national security strategy needs to be tailor made according to its specific security environment, which comprises the expectations, values and interests of its citizens. 10