Terror can be contained with strong public support: PM

Terrorism can be contained only with strong public support, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said while appreciating the "template" set by the Bangladesh government in this regard after the terror attack in Dhaka in July.

Ths issue came up during bilateral meeting between Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Goa on the sidelines of BRICS and BIMSTEC Summits.

Giving details of the talks, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup on Monday told reporters that Modi said that "terrorism can be contained only with strong public support."

Modi made the comment after Hasina spelt out the various steps that her government had taken following the Holey Artisan terror attack, how she had contacted all the districts of Bangladesh to be on the same page and unite against terror and how she had taken on board all the Imams to raise their voice against terror, Swarup said.

"And she said that the public awareness is very high in Bangladesh against the menace of terrorism," he added.

"PM (Modi) appreciated the very strong stance that the Sheikh Hasina government and Bangladesh had taken against terrorism and how that could set a new template for countries on how to tackle this menace of terrorism," the spokesman said.

Swarup pointed out that entire Bangladesh had rallied behind the Hasina government and it has not had any incident after that attack.

Swarup noted that India and Bangladesh have a Joint Working Group on terrorism which is working very effectively.

The spokesman said Bangladesh has extradited a number of wanted terrorists to India and therefore from that point of view, it was not an outstanding issue which needs to be addressed.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of BRICS-BIMSTEC summit in Goa. Photograph: PIB