ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of violent extremism in Bangladesh. It also provides a timeline of terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and an overview of the key Civil Society Organizations (CSO) activities in preventing and countering violent extremism arena in the country. The chapter focuses on the institutional and structural limitations of the CSOs. It describes the challenges and identifies prospective areas in which more CSO initiatives are needed. The chapter provides a way forward to strengthen the civil society’s partnership with the state and the private sector. Violent extremism is not new in Bangladesh, and it has not always been associated with radical religious beliefs. A significant strength of the violent extremist groups is their ability to recruit from a cross-section of the society. The social media outreach of the violent extremist groups in Bangladesh has expanded tremendously in recent years. Bangladesh’s education system is a core factor behind the rise of violent extremism.
