US embassy cable - 05DHAKA2842

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 002842 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/15 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BG 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PAYS GOODBYE CALL TO OPPOSITION LEADER 
SHEIKH HASINA 
 
 
Classified By: P/E  Counselor D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b) 
 
1. (C) On June 16, Ambassador paid a final call to opposition 
leader Sheikh Hasina.  Also present were MP Alhaj Syed Abul 
Hossain, Abdul Jalil, Awami League Secretary General, and 
poloff (notetaker).  Hasina had three concerns: attacks on 
the Awami League (AL), the need for free and fair elections 
and her health. 
 
2. (SBU) Hasina commented on the morning papers report that 
the BNP government arrested three suspects for the August 21, 
2004 explosion by saying that these three people were not 
responsible and the arrest was a setup by the government. 
With the State Minister for Home Affairs in charge of the 
investigation, she had no confidence in an unbiased 
investigation.  She repeated her charge that the BNP 
government is trying to systematically "destroy" the AL and 
asked what the US is doing to ensure justice.  The Ambassador 
explained that we are working quietly with the government in 
the Kibria investigation but are not involved in the August 
21 case. 
 
3. (C) In response to the question whether she was going to 
forge a partnership with the Islamic extremist group IOJ, she 
sidestepped, citing the current BNP led four-party coalition 
as a marriage of convenience where "they" will do anything 
"to get more votes." In response to the question whether the 
AL was going to boycott the election, she noted that the AL 
victory in the Chittagong mayoral race proved that, with free 
and fair elections, the AL will "come back to win." 
 
4. (C)  She plans to travel abroad to the UK for a 
parliamentary event, and to Moscow at the invitation of the 
Russian government, but expects to return by June 30.  She 
complained of hearing loss from the explosion of August 21, 
saying that her inner ear bones were broken.  She purchased a 
hearing aid that is available regionally, but it only 
increases the volume and does not permit her to hear clearly. 
 Consequently, she plans to travel to the US in July to 
purchase a suitable hearing aid. 
THOMAS