Community policing in preventing Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism in Bangladesh

Abstract Efforts to prevent Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (VERLT) are fundamentally unsustainable without trust-based partnerships and community inclusion. The article examines the current state, potential, and challenges of community policing (CP) as a form of police volunteerism aimed at preventing VERLT in communities. To explore the grassroots realities of CP initiatives, we gathered qualitative data from three regions of Bangladesh. Our data revealed that despite its functional limitations, CP has emerged as a catalyst in fostering police-public trust, reducing fear and stigma associated with the police, raising awareness, and cultivating a belief in society's collective ability to prevent VERLT. All stakeholders of CP recognize and value the significance of involving women volunteers; nonetheless, the current state of practice is heavily gendered. The article identifies important culturally embedded concerns and political barriers to adopting CP in Muslim-majority countries, to inform appropriate, context-specific policy responses. Finally, the article argues that the conventional, well-known community policing models used in the West may not be effective in Bangladesh. The outlined challenging factors call for an indigenous, decolonial, tailored, community-driven approach that is in respectful harmony with local socio-cultural traditions and expectations.