US embassy cable - 05DHAKA918

UNCLAS DHAKA 000918 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE 
FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY, SSTRYKER), SA/RA, INR/R/MR, 
AND PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B (WJOHNSON) 
CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (MAJ TURNER), J45 
(MAJ NICHOLLS) 
USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ HEDRICK) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OIIP, OPRC, KPAO, PREL, ETRD, PTER, ASEC, BG, OCII 
SUBJECT: Media Reaction: U.S. Human Rights Report on 
Bangladesh;Dhaka 
 
Summary: Commenting on the U.S. Human Rights report on 
Bangladesh, two pro-opposition newspapers urge the 
government to abide law, show respect to democracy and make 
an honest effort to improve the human rights situation. 
 
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U.S. Human Rights Report on Bangladesh 
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"U.S. Human Rights Report" 
Pro-opposition Bangla language newspaper "Janakantha" 
editorial comments (3/3): 
 
Relevant people may like to see the assessment made by U.S. 
on Bangladesh human rights situation in an oblique way.  But 
can reality be ignored?  In the unipolar world, the U.S. is 
not only assessing human rights situation, but also other 
issues.  Moreover, human rights issues are being considered 
helpful in assessing democratic civilization in the present 
day world. . .Against this backdrop, the U.S. has observed 
that the human rights situation in Bangladesh has worsened 
than before. 
 
The country who has made this assessment is one of our major 
donors.  It has been making this kind of assessment always 
as a routine.  Questions may be raised regarding the Finance 
Minister's comments that donors can only poke their noses in 
economic issues, whether economy is something neutral to 
politics.  Will not those who give economic assistance look 
into the human rights situation?  Will not they review the 
state political stability in the country?  Only a stable 
political situation can utilize economic assistance in a 
best way. 
 
It can be said on the U.S. report that the nation must be 
rescued from the situation.  The government must abide law, 
show respect to democracy and hold a fruitful dialog with 
the opposition to make the parliament effective.  The 
government's attitude should be fully democratic.  This is 
way to brighten the image of the country. 
 
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"The Human Rights situation in Bangladesh Has Worsened" 
Pro-opposition Bangla language newspaper "Sangbad" 
editorially comments (3/2): 
 
The government often says that a high tide of development is 
flowing all over the country.  The country's human rights 
situation is linked to development.  How could the 
government keep it secret from the outside world that the 
spate of development without any improvement in the human 
rights situation is nothing but empty words?  Not only the 
U.S. State Department report, the Amnesty International 
report also depicts a pathetic picture of the situation in 
Bangladesh.  Still there may be some time to save the 
country.  The government may take an honest effort not only 
to improve the human rights situation, but also to overcome 
the crisis in its rule.  Otherwise an ostrich like behavior 
will only bring bigger disaster for the country. 
 
Thomas