The Covid-19 pandemic has created a void in people’s lives which might lead them into engaging with extremist ideologies online, says speakers.
They said that civil society organizations must come forward to identify these vulnerable groups in the community and promote human rights, tolerance, diversity, and pluralism to protect them from misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories circulating online about the ongoing pandemic.
They made the remarks during a webinar titled "The role of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in Promoting Diversity, Tolerance and Pluralism," organized by Centre for Enterprise and Society of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), in partnership with Chatham House, a leading international think tank based in London, UK, and Impact and Policy Research Institute (IPRI), India on Monday.
Chris Rowell, head of FE/HE Regional Delivery Network (prevent and counter extremism), said: ‘‘The pandemic is driving young people to spend more unsupervised time online, where the feeling of boredom and isolation may be exploited by negative influencers and online groomers of all kinds.”
He also pointed out that young people in this pandemic are falling prey to online-based misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories which may lead them to blame minorities for the spread of the virus, engage with extremist individuals and increase their vulnerability of being radicalized as children and young people feel more anxious, angry, frustrated and isolated than others.
Civil society organizations should consider exploring options for critical thinking, online safety, and media literacy for these vulnerable groups, he added.
Afsan Chowdhury, an esteemed historian, writer, and teacher, said: “Civil society in Bangladesh is not strong enough as it is an informal society.”
“The real extremists in Bangladesh are economic criminals and these criminals cannot be stopped without the support of the government,” he said, adding that the framework of extremism in Bangladesh is different from the western framework of Islamic extremism.
He also said that the western organizations do not understand this informal society and that is the problem in dealing with such issues.
Sajid Amit, director of Centre for Enterprise and Society and director of EMBA Program at the ULAB, said that universities have a significant role in addressing these issues.
Julie Coleman, senior program manager of the International Centre for Counter Terrorism -- The Hague -- said: “Violent extremism flourishes where there is lack of mutual respect, a lack of peaceful coexistence among different ethnic, social or religious groups.”
“Weak protection for human rights, fundamental freedom, and democratic principles also contribute to this factor.”
“Civil society organizations may be able to identify and address the grievances and drivers which lead to vulnerability to radicalization to violent extremism,” she added.
She recommended that civil society organizations should promote human rights and values like diversity, tolerance, and inclusion in the communities they work with to prevent violent extremism and terrorism.
Lucy Daley, second secretary of the British High Commission in Dhaka, said: “Institutions that provide higher education are required to put systems in place to identify, address and challenge extremism in order to help prevent vulnerable students and staff being drawn into terrorism.”
Dr Indu Prakash Singh, a human rights activist, said that Muslims in India are being blamed for spreading Covid-19 as a few Tabligh Jamaat attendees tested positive for the deadly virus.