The contemporary security concerns of Bangladesh emerge as a complex phenomenon. Although the conventional interpretation of security emphasizing on power armaments, weaponry all remain valid, but they by themselves are no longer able to explain a nation’s threats of multiple dimensions. Non-conventional sources of insecurity such as economic matters and environmental deteriorations have not been placed in their proper perspective to incorporate such assessment into the national security agenda. National defense establishments are useless against these new threats. “Neither bloated military budget nor highly sophisticated weapons system can halt the environmental despoliation or economic influence of the industrially advanced countries over LDCs. Therefore, an interface in the domain of Bangladesh security preoccupations is likely to be apparent setting conventional and non-conventional security in an image of confrontation.
Bangladesh is conscious of the need to make itself secure. Political, economic and social structures of Bangladesh are week and inflexible. The problem of internal security made the problem of external security all the more acute and vice versa. In reality, blind pursuit of a military power led to negative consequences such as- misperceived national security consideration to excessive military spending which in turn caused distorted economic development of our country. As a developing country Bangladesh with its fragile development wheel needed a strategy that in concrete terms can ensure overall security for its own. One can argue that security preoccupation of Bangladesh is not reality-oriented rather it’s the maintenance of sequence of age-old security perception as it is addressed from realist perspective. Military services –Army, Navy and Air forces-in Bangladesh are largely a reflection of traditional security perception pursued in the name of modernity. As trade and commerce, business and investment grow with this region and our economies are increasingly intertwined, the chance of an armed conflict between the neighboring states reduces. With this truth in mind, the question rises why there is still more emphasis on military security. Defense budgeting being one of largest expenditure sectors of the government is posing threat to livelihood of individual citizens and thereby hampering the social welfare of the country. We have already seen, from 2000 on ward, expenditure on defense is on the rise. As big portion of allocation from budget is reserved for unproductive actor, the govt. has to cut off a significant amount of allocation from productive sectors.
The country’s socio-economic situation is now worse than ever. The purchasing capability of people is declining day by day bringing more people under the vicious circle of poverty. More people are unemployed and therefore social tension and unrest is increasing incrementally. The circumstances like these demand an intensive attention to development initiatives to make the state enterprises more productive. But we observe a converse scenario in 2008-2009 budget allocation that is abutting 565 crore for industrial sector, commerce ministry-117 crore for labor and employment purpose on-133 core. On the other hand, defense gained parallel priority with education and agriculture, which stands respectively 6306, 6296 and 6499 crore. Agricultural sector deserves a significant amount of subsidies to reduce the price of agricultural goods, which provide the staple foods of the nation. But maintenance of large military appears as setback to this phenomenon. Environmental threats for the country are imminent and inevitable. Despite this threat in mind, the govt. hardly feel any urge to adopt a sustainable development strategy to avert a human catastrophe that is to displace millions of people form their homeland generating threat to state survival. It is seen that, this year budget does not reflect the concerns of environmental disasters which has been visible in the allocation of shortest amount for the environment related activities which is 23% of the total budget. Policy is framed of threat comes at the door. Bangladesh military always tends to justify their existence in the name of contributing in relief and resettlement and rehabilitation activities. But the opportunity cost of traditional security can never be justified on the pretext of military participation on social activities and in peace building activities abroad since the remittance procured from peace program is largely engulfed by the military themselves.
It is obvious that, with a limited mineral resource lower level of industrialization, Bangladesh cannot address all of its problems, rather only tackle the issues held severe threats to the survival of its own and its citizens. Both public and govt. are not aware enough about these silent emergencies. Education and research is urgent investment for a strong nation. In order to keep pace with progress in world economy and to develop an effective strategy to fight the contemporary unprecedented challenges a strong educational and research base is a crying demand of our country. But down fall in quality of education especially in higher education sector, absence of pragmatic research oriented curriculum and absence of social research is posing silent but most urgent non-traditional security threat to our country.
However, prioritization of military sector over education sector, especially in the current budget (6.30% for defense and 5.70 for education) could have dampening impact on our nation. Lack of logistics in education sectors accelerated brain drain and commercialization of education. If we look at the infrastructural facility, the situation goes worst further. Inadequate halls, poor health facility, adulterate food service with less protein and calories are damaging students’ talents and toils. Lack of student’s excess to research and analysis also decrease their potential to drive the future nation. Students are also the worst victims of military rule in our country. Student politics in public universities and colleges have become fertile ground of crime and violence. Instead of serving the society, they are being used to destroy it. It is not a surprising matter that the government (military) will establish a military university by passing the problems of public universities, which is stated before.
Furthermore, teachers are the mechanics of building a society. Their guidance and contribution in both academic and policy making fields show the way of overcoming crisis and lead the country to progress and prosperity. Unfortunately, they are not properly facilitated in our country. While in India and Pakistan a professor receives salary of Tk. 150000, in Bangladesh, they are provided only about 20,000. On the other hand being an unproductive sector, military personnel enjoy higher salary, residential facility and other allowance than that of university teachers. Militarization of Bangladeshi politics is one of the major causes for our adolescent democracy. Our democracy is still young only of 37 years but unfortunately for limitary intervention on time to time didn’t let him to get it on institutionalized form, thus our political institutions became weakened. Practice of the healthy democratic culture was disrupted repeatedly by the military intervention since 1975. But we know democracy is a very sophisticated subject that it needs a suitable environment to grow up. But military intervention time to time coined on the growth and practice of healthy democratic culture. Military also brought some ills in our political system like autocratic culture, corruption etc. Militarization of a country’s political system brings a lot of misery, which has been very clear to us from the scenario of our neighboring Myanmar and Pakistan. Our situation though is better than theirs but it can become worse. Without an institutionalized democracy a country can’t achieve any good result.
The economic role of national security is vital because of its extensive spill over effects on other national values. Persistent under development and deprivation of economic well being degrade our national morale and precipitate social unrest, thus furthering internal fragmentation and such internal weakness may trigger off hostile actions by potential or actual adversaries. Bangladesh is facing chronic poverty and hunger, high unemployment food shortage, energy crisis, high inflation rate and most importantly price hike of essential commodities of life today which endanger human both security and state security. But public expenditure in these sectors remains less and constant in comparable to expenditure in military affairs severing the non-convention human insecurity. The country has lowest levels of per capita income at US $592 with an estimate about 50% of the population living below the poverty line. The rate of malnutrition is high with 71 percent o the children suffering from this problem. The daily calorie supply is only 83% of the requirement. Only 6 percent of the people have access to sanitation, 49% safe water and 45 percent to health service. Our economy also experienced 11.60% inflation in last year. Besides, prices hike of essential commodity more than 35% at average caused unbearable human sufferings these days. Unemployment because of low pubic measurement and low investment multiply the problem gigantically. According to the latest information from statistics Bureau (2007) living cost has increased 20% along line with price hike 30-35% present military backed government’s indifference to the continuing price hike made the general life at stake. The internal economic threats identified are foreign aid dependence and the consequent debt crisis foreign aid produces security concerns as a result of its intrinsic nature of domination and manipulation by others. Interest on debt would take12.6% highest expenditure in current budget. The annual average rate of inflation is increasing year by year which can create social unrest.
We see maze of human rights violation, crimes, terrorist bombing, and insurgency jeopardizing lives of people in our country. They cannot enjoy freedom of thought, social liberty, civil liberty or even individual liberty in their own way. Political instability and military intervention in the public life also hamper the most frequently stated security assumption of today. Besides, societal security issues such as dowry, persecution, and rape, throwing acid on human endanger the both human and state security as well. Bangladesh ranks one of most disaster prone countries of the world. Environmental disasters like cyclone, flood tornadoes, storm surges visit the country almost every year. During the last 38 years, the country was visited by 38 cyclones of varying intensities. Flood is also visiting us quiet regularly. Some low profile environmental problems can harm us lot, as increasing salinity in tidal areas, water logging, presence of arsenic in under ground waters etc. But this is a debated issue that how much priorities are given these environmental problems in comparison with military security.
A comparison of the last three major floods- 1987, 1988 & 1998 would reveal sustained increase in the depth of inundation and duration of floods, although causes and circumstances of the three episodes were different. But it is clear if the government gave higher priorities with enough resource allocation then the amount cost would lessen. The magnitude of devastation is increasing day by day also with the new areas flooded if we see the last 60 years flood scenario of Bangladesh. Water logging problem beside the flood problem is also a security threat to the people of southern area of the country. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) estimates that at present 1, 10,000 hectors of land with 9, 00,000 people in nine thanas in Khulna, Jessore & Satkhira Districts are waterlogged. Bangladesh has been exposed to arsenic poisoning of its ground water on an ever-increasing scale. A report suggests that Bangladesh is confronted with the risks of poisoning of 95 million of its 150 million people. The increase of salinity is also another big problem for the tidal areas. The problem is fueled with the shrimp cultivation without proper method.
Redefining security in Bangladesh though seems to be horde of dilemma but it requires to be done in order to create a better home for the generation coming next. Threats to human life and livelihood as well as the environment they live with today are greater than ever seen which indicates an atmosphere we can hardly anticipate. Moreover, changes in scale and intensity of security issues increased the prospective crises in both human and environmental concerns appeared to endanger state security too. Therefore, non-traditional approach to traditional security emerged in the forefront of interface between them. It is widely viewed in the contemporary security thinking that by addressing human security, state security can better be assured. From a bottom up approach individual security such as crimes, drugs, food shortage, price hike, violation of civil and social rights are signaling imminent crises in our country. Besides, on-military threats both individual and state including confrontational politics, riots, social unrest, corruption, religious extremism and natural disasters constitute an emergency security threats to the country’s survival and development. On the other hand, looking beyond a cognitive military centric perception of security, non-traditional security should be addressed by means of traditional security. Bangladesh poses a very prospective maritime zone (five times larger than its land territory) with unlimited natural resources but because of absence of a powerful navy it cannot safeguard this natural gift. In coming future, in order to manage the growing demands of its citizens, these maritime resources will have profound implication. Therefore to ensure non-traditional security, Bangladesh should promote a well-equipped modern Navy and effective coast guard to protect its maritime resources.
Finally, Bangladesh should adopt a time fitting security strategy from a non-conventional approach to ensure safety of succeeding generation and to protect ecological balance, because-
A tree can ensure more security than a tank.
Tags: bangladesh security complex, interface between traditional and non traditional security, nontraditional security, security of bangladesh