US embassy cable - 05DHAKA1524

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001524 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PINR, PGOV, BG 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS BANGLADESH'S NEW FOREIGN SECRETARY 
 
 
Classified By: Amb. Harry K Thomas; reason 1.4 b 
 
1.    (C) Summary:  New Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin 
reiterated familiar BDG themes during the Ambassador's first 
meeting with him.  Ambassador Thomas welcomed recent BDG 
actions to combat terrorism and encouraged Bangladesh to sign 
the nine anti-terrorism conventions to which it is not yet a 
party.  End summary. 
 
2.    (U) Ambassador Thomas met March 30 for one hour with 
the new Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin and Director, Americas 
and Pacific Desk, Saqib Ali. Econoff (notetaker) accompanied 
the Ambassador. (Note: The Foreign Secretary presents his 
name as 'Hemayetuddin' (one word) although he uses the 
familial 'Hemayet'.  Formally, he is addressed as 'Mr. 
Hemayetuddin' and not/not 'Mr. Uddin.' End note.) 
 
3.    (C) Noting the good bilateral relations between the 
United States and Bangladesh, Ambassador Thomas said he would 
like to build on our relationship.  He cited recent positive 
actions by the BDG, including: 
 
-- Cooperation between the Home Ministry and the FBI in the 
Kibria investigation 
-- The BDG ban on Jammat ul Mujaheedin (JM) and the Jagrato 
Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) and the arrest of JM leader 
Dr. Galib on charges of inciting violence and terror 
-- The arrests of several members of the Jammat Islami's 
violent student wing (Chatra Shibir) 
-- Steps to control the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion 
(RAB) including the arrests of several members for 
corruption/abuse of power and the slowing (the BDG says 
halting) of extra-judicial killings by the RAB 
-- The rendition of a Bangladeshi-American wanted for tax 
evasion and flight to avoid prosecution 
-- Sustained cooperation from the foreign intelligence and 
national security services on counter-terrorism 
-- Continued work to prevent trafficking in persons 
 
4.    (C) The Ambassador encouraged the BDG to update local 
counter-terrorism laws that date from the British period and 
were meant to deal with domestic independence movements. 
Antiquated laws may mean currently arrested terrorists might 
escape conviction, become heroes and chill future government 
desire to pursue potential domestic terrorists, he warned. 
He pressed for Bangladesh to become a party to the nine 
remaining counter-terrorism conventions it has not yet 
signed.  He also emphasized the importance of arresting and 
prosecuting Bangla Bhai. 
 
5.    (C) Hemayetuddin reiterated the PM and FM's pledge that 
the BDG will adopt and ratify the nine remaining UN 
Counter-Terrorism Conventions.  He took note of the 
Ambassador's suggestion to update the counter-terrorism laws 
and reaffirmed BDG efforts to bring Bangla Bhai to justice, 
while repeating the BDG position that he has fled to India. 
 
6.    (C) More generally, Hemayhetuddin, drawing on his 
recent experience as Ambassador to India, downplayed negative 
reports about Bangladesh from the Indian government and 
press, saying they had domestic political motivations, 
ignored similar conditions in India, and did not reflect the 
whole story. 
 
7.    (C) Hemayetuddin stressed Bangladesh's commitment to 
democracy and religious tolerance, while seeking 
'understanding' that the process 'is not always perfect' and 
'takes time.'  He suggested that Bangladesh could help the 
U.S in its relations with other Muslim countries. 
 
8.    (C) Hemayetuddin dismissed the role of Jamaat-e Islami 
(Jamaat) and Islami Oikko Jote in the coalition in the usual 
way:  If not with us, then they would ally with the 
opposition, and better inside where we can monitor them, 
include them in the process and moderate their actions, than 
outside the government and uncontrolled. 
 
9.    (C) Finally, Hemayetuddin renewed BDG requests for 
high-profile USG visits (he suggested Senator McCain) and a 
meeting for PM Zia with President Bush, possibly at this 
year's UNGA.  Ambassador Thomas apprised Hemayetuddin of 
several upcoming visits, noted the unlikelihood of an UNGA 
bilat between Bush and Zia, but said a visit at another time 
would be possible if Bangladesh showed "unprecedented 
progress" addressing our bilateral issues. 
 
10.  (U) BIODATA:  Hemayetuddin was born 21 June 1948 in 
Dhaka.  He holds an MA in Sociology from Dhaka University 
(1970) and entered the Bangladesh foreign service in 1974. 
Most recently High Commissioner to New Delhi, Hemayetuddin 
has also served as Ambassador to Thailand, Director General 
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and additional 
international postings in Beijing (1996-1998), Washington 
(1991-1995), Brussels (1984-1987) and New Delhi (1981-84). 
Although a practicing Muslim, Hemayetudding received his 
primary and secondary education from a Catholic missionary 
school.  He has two children studying in the United States, 
one at the University of Maryland and the other at Seattle 
University. 
THOMAS