ABSTRACT
“The police are the public and the public are the police”: community policing and countering violent extremism (CVE) in Bangladesh
Since 2008, Bangladesh police have declared community policing an ‘essential part’ of initiatives to reduce crime, increase public safety, and improve community relations. The police have developed a structure for involving local communities in initiatives to prevent crime and improve security. However, programme implementation has been experimental, haphazard, and under-resourced. How does a community policing approach counter violent extremism in Bangladesh? Evidence indicates that community policing does work in Bangladesh and that those participating in more active and energised community policing groups see its potential for countering violent extremism. The chapter highlights that the police need to reconsider their top-down approach to community engagement and adopt more robust policies to ensure a closer alignment of strategies to bolster citizen support for tactics to address violent extremism. Police need to work harder to build trust with citizens, including minorities, who are often the victims of extremism.
