Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

egun revising the legislation to satisfy FATF’s concerns in this regard. For further information
on money laundering and financial crimes, we refer you to the 2013 International Narcotics
Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes:
http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.
Regional and International Cooperation: Bangladesh is party to various counterterrorism
protocols under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and is bringing the
country’s counterterrorism efforts in line with the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy. Bangladesh’s foreign and domestic policies are heavily influenced by the
region’s major powers, particularly India. In past years the Indo-Bangladesh relationship
provided openings for transnational threats, but the current government has demonstrated its
interest in regional cooperation on counterterrorism. Bangladesh was active in the full range of
international fora.
In 2012, Bangladesh enacted a mutual legal assistance law that will allow for greater
international cooperation. It has also signed memoranda of understanding with a number of
countries to share evidence regarding criminal investigations, including investigations related to
financial crimes and terrorist financing.
Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism: Bangladesh uses strategic communication
to counter violent extremism, especially among youth. The Ministry of Education provides
oversight for madrassas and is developing a standard national curriculum that includes language,
math, and science curricula; and minimum standards of secular subjects to be taught in all
primary schools, up to the eighth grade. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the National
Committee on Militancy Resistance and Prevention work with imams and religious scholars to
build public awareness against terrorism. The Government of Bangladesh is also actively
expanding economic opportunities for women as it views economic empowerment for women as
a buffer against violent extremist messages of male religious leaders.
INDIA
Overview: According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, 805 people were killed as a result of
terrorist attacks in India in 2012. While this figure represents a 25 percent decrease from the
previous year, India remained subject to violent terrorist attacks and continued to be one of the
most persistently targeted countries by transnational terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba
(LeT). Included in the total number of fatalities were the 364 deaths ascribed to left-wing violent
extremism, almost 80 percent of which were Communist Party of India Maoist or Maoist/
Naxalite violence, which the Indian government considers its most serious internal security
threat. To date, those groups have not specifically targeted U.S. or other international interests.
In 2012, Indian sources continued to attribute violence and deaths in Jammu and Kashmir to
transnational terrorist groups it alleges are backed by Pakistan. India and Pakistan attempted to
decrease tensions in their bilateral relationship by increasing official dialogue between their two
governments, lessening trade restrictions, and relaxing some visa requirements in 2012.
Continued allegations of violations of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan (the border
along Jammu and Kashmir), however, and Indian concerns about Pakistani-based terrorist groups
remained impediments to normalizing relations.
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