Safety and security in North Bengal, Bangladesh

A youth perception survey

Over the past decade, concerns have grown that unemployed youths in the impoverished North Bengal region are an easy target for recruitment by extremist groups. Saferworld supported the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute to investigate this issue through a youth perception survey on safety and security in the region, including concerns associated with violent extremism.

The report presents an analysis of primary and secondary research conducted between November 2010 and April 2011 by BEI with technical and financial support from Saferworld. BEI surveyed over 600 men and women aged 18–35.

Young people should be directly consulted on ways in which to improve safety and security in their communities and should be actively engaged in this endeavour. The report makes a series of recommendations to policy makers, security sector providers and other key stakeholders on how to achieve this, including through promoting community security initiatives; developing an education reform programme, and creating employment opportunities and platforms to engage young people.

“Unemployment is the main problem that is creating frustration among the youth, which leads them towards various criminal activities like eve teasing [sexual harassment of girls and women], drug taking, stealing, killing, political clashes, abduction, extremism and suicide.”

Focus group participant, Rajshahi