US embassy cable - 05DHAKA2083

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 002083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2010 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, BG, BG Terrorism 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER CHALLENGES TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: CALCUTTA 0176 
 
Classified By: P/E Counselor D.C. McCullough, reason para 1.4 d. 
 
1. (SBU) On May 2, Foreign Minister Morshed Khan blamed 
"organized vested interests" (read India and the Awami 
League) for creating the view that international terrorism 
exists in Bangladesh.  Reacting to the Department's 2004 
Country Reports on Terrorism, Khan told journalists that he 
sees no sign of activities by the group, the Harakat 
ul-Jihad-I-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B), cited in the report. 
He attributed the HUJI-B reference to unconfirmed 
speculation, and said concerns about what might happen in 
Bangladesh apply to any country in the world. 
 
2. (SBU) There has never been an international terrorist 
attack in Bangladesh, Khan added, and no Bangladeshi has ever 
been arrested as a member of an alleged terrorist 
organization.  He also noted the BDG's February 23 banning of 
Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) and Jamaatul 
Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) as proof of Bangladesh's 
commitment to the war on terrorism. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT: Our Terrorism report will fan the fears of 
those Bangladeshis who think the USG and India are working 
together to pressure Bangladesh.  The BDG insists Bangladesh 
is free of terrorism to avoid complicating the ruling BNP's 
alliance with two Islamist parties and Bangladesh's relations 
with India.  Terrorism is not the only troublesome issue the 
BDG tries to ignore.  BDG officials have publicly denied the 
existence here of cholera, arsenic-contaminated water, and, 
most recently (according to the Finance Minister), 
unemployment. 
CHAMMAS