US embassy cable - 05DHAKA1135

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001135 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INFO AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, ETRD, BG, BG Terrorism 
SUBJECT: PMO PRINCIPAL SECRETARY SPEAKS CANDIDLY 
 
 
Classified By: P/E Counselor D.C. McCullough, reason para 1.4 d. 
 
 1. (S) Summary. PMO Principal Secretary Siddiqui told 
Ambassador that continued USG pressure on the BDG is 
essential to bring to justice the killers of Awami League 
leader Kibria, implied that PMO Political Secretary Chowdhury 
is tied to the local BNP officials fingered for ordering the 
Kibria attack, described PM Zia's promotion of her son 
Tarique as her biggest political failure, and indicated that 
Civil Aviation Minister of State Nassirudin wants a bribe to 
decide whether Biman Airlines buys Boeing or Airbus.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On March 13, Ambassador met for 40 minutes with PMO 
Principal Secretary Kamaluddin Siddiqui.  P/E counselor 
(notetaker) accompanied. 
 
Kibria Case 
----------- 
 
3. (S) Ambassador welcomed the recent arrest of four persons 
for the January 27 assassination of former Awami League 
Finance Minister Shah Kibria (septel) and the continuing 
investigation of Islamist university professor Ghalib and 
members of Bangla Bhai's JMJB.  Siddiqui remarked that USG 
pressure, along with the coinciding World Bank meeting in 
Washington on Bangladesh, had finally convinced PM Zia that 
for the sake of Bangladesh's international reputation she had 
to brush aside the protection of Rajshahi area BNP MP's and 
arrest those JMJB "gangsters."  He added: "That's the problem 
with this BNP government.  It only acts under pressure, so it 
doesn't get the credit it deserves for doing what it should 
have done months ago."  He agreed with the Ambassador that it 
was essential that Bangla Bhai himself be caught.  "They know 
where these people are," he said. 
 
4. (S) Ambassador reiterated the importance of bringing 
Kibria's killers to justice, and noted press speculation that 
a PMO insider is linked to the local BNP leaders charged with 
the crime.  Siddiqui asked rhetorically if the Ambassador 
wanted him to name the individual who everybody knows, he 
said, comes from Sylhet and is a "problem."  (Note: Siddiqui 
was referring to PMO Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury.) 
 
Ahmadiyas 
--------- 
 
5. (C) Continuing extremist pressure on the Ahmadiyas is 
vexing, the Ambassador said.  He expressed appreciation for 
police action over the weekend in Bogra to prevent the 
seizure of an Ahmadhiya complex, but regretted police 
erection of a sign in from of the complex stating it was not 
a mosque (septel).  Siddiqui indicated agreement, commenting 
that while he personally could never forget the killings 
Jamaat Islami committed during the 1971 war of liberation, 
Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) activists are "more dangerous."  He 
encouraged enhanced USAID and Western donor outreach to 
madrassahs. 
 
Tarique 
------- 
 
6. (S) Ambassador advised Siddiqui that prime ministerial 
first son Tarique Rahman's request via confidants for 
meetings with senior USG officials in Washington could not be 
accommodated for protocol and other reasons.  Siddiqui 
wholeheartedly agreed, adding, "Dynastic politics are not 
good for a nascent democracy."  He described PM Zia's 
indulgence and protection of her "corrupt" son as her biggest 
political failure. 
 
Commercial Advocacy 
------------------- 
 
7. (C) Siddiqui explained that he had declined to meet with a 
Boeing official originally scheduled to come to Dhaka next 
week because there's no need for Boeing "to preach to the 
converted."  He stated that he supports Biman Airlines' 
purchase of Boeing aircraft and that he would energetically 
press after tomorrow's cabinet meeting the reluctant civil 
aviation minister on the political and commercial benefits of 
buying Boeing.  Siddiqui indicated that one factor for the 
delayed decision is Civil Aviation Minister of State Mir 
Mohammaed Nassirudin's desire for a bribe. 
 
8. (C) Ambassador also raised the U.S. firm CMG's pending 
proposal with the PMO for a 500- megawatt power project in 
Megnabhatt.  He noted that major benefits for Bangladesh 
would include project completion by June 2006, a key 
consideration considering the country's current acute power 
shortage.  Siddiqui confirmed the proposal is under active 
consideration by the BDG, and undertook to encourage a 
positive decision. 
 
Bilateral Prospects 
------------------- 
 
9. (C) After a rough second half of 2004, Ambassador noted, 
there could now be a new opportunity for enhanced bilateral 
relations if the Kibria killing is in fact solved in a 
transparent and credible manner, if Ahmadiyas continue to be 
protected, if future acts of political and religious violence 
are avoided, and if the MFA can deliver on its assurances 
that Bangladesh would soon ratify UN counter-terrorism 
conventions.  Siddiqui, repeating the five points, promised 
to relay them to PM Zia. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (S) Siddiqui often projects himself as personally 
sympathetic to USG views and interests, even stating last 
year that he supported sending Bangladeshi troops to Iraq. 
He has also welcomed USG pressure on such issues as 
trafficking in persons as necessary to prod the creaky BDG 
into action.  But he is strongly loyal to PM Zia, and defends 
her with sometimes strained logic.  In that context, his 
denunciation of Tarique Rahman and his indication that 
Political Secretary Harris Chowdury, another Zia loyalist, 
might be involved in Kibria's killing represent exceptional 
candor. 
THOMAS