US embassy cable - 04DHAKA3149

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 003149 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BG, IN 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN SECRETARY THINKS INDIANS BEHIND AUGUST 21 
ATTACK 
 
Classified By: POLCOUN D.C. Mccullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b),(d) 
 
1. (C)  DAS Torkel Patterson met with Foreign Secretary 
Shamsheer Chowdhury on September 13 with Ambassador Thomas 
and Poloff (notetaker). With renewed rains, downed trees and 
flooded roads blocking traffic, Patterson noted to Chowdhury 
the difficulties presented by the August flooding and 
expressed the desire of the international community to help 
in mitigating damage. He then pressed Chowdhury on the need 
for action in the investigation of the attack of August 21. 
He stated the reason for his visit was to express US and 
international concern over political violence in Bangladesh, 
including the attack on the British High Commissioner and 
unexplained arms seizures. DAS Patterson stressed that a 
government must protect its citizens and their right to speak 
in opposition to the government urging the setting aside of 
political differences and focusing on solving this crime. 
 
2. (C) Chowdhury deflected Patterson's call for action. While 
he agreed with the need for action he blamed the Awami League 
for any inaction citing Sheikh Hasina's refusal to see Prime 
Minister Zia as evidence of their lack of cooperation in the 
investigation. He scoffed at the AL notion that the 
government is behind the attack. "No government is foolish 
enough to inflict this (attack) on itself."  He criticized 
the AL for any future problems saying that the politics of 
blaming the government is "bound to set something off." And 
as for the attack itself, he said it was an "intelligence 
failure" that allowed this to happen, and that the US itself 
was not immune from this sort of thing. 
 
3 (C) In searching for a culprit, he noted that one "can't 
choose your neighbors." He cited  "certain reactions from 
abroad" and described a recent discovery of some Indians 
smuggling grenades into Bangladesh, asking rhetorically, that 
in South Asian politics, "whose interest is it to have 
instability in the region?" 
 
4. (C) Noting the accusations, Ambassador Thomas raised to 
Chowdhury the issue of heated remarks in the media by 
officials in India and Bangladesh and hoped the rhetoric will 
"cool down."  Chowdhury responded that he will speak to the 
Indian Secretary  "tomorrow" preferring to discuss relations 
"not through the media but over a table."  Nonetheless, 
Chowdhury decried the security situation where there are 
those who want their own territory separate from Bangladesh 
and who have their own weapons training, ideology and Email 
addresses. 
 
5. (C) Comment: BDG is getting inventive in explaining why 
they are not able to conduct a police investigation into the 
attacks of August 21. They blame the AL, they blame 
"intelligence failure" and they blame the Indians for the 
attack but are unable to produce evidence behind these 
allegations. With the US position well known to BDG, it might 
well be time to focus our position on asking if a conclusive 
report will be published recounting the findings of the 
investigation. End Comment. 
 
6. (U)  This cable has been cleared by DAS Patterson. 
 
THOMAS