US embassy cable - 05DHAKA3342

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 003342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/12/15 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BG 
SUBJECT: HOME MINISTER SAYS BDG PLANS TO LAUNCH NEW 
PASSPORT SYSTEM IN FEBRUARY 
 
 
Classified By: P/E  Counselor D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b),(d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: Home Affairs Minister Babar, rebuffing an 
appointment with USG Passport officials, stated that 
Bangladesh has studied the passport systems of six or seven 
countries, hired an American-Bangladeshi consultant to 
implement a modern passport system and will float tenders 
later in the year for a launch in February 2006. End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  On July 10, 2005, Charge d'Affaires (CDA) paid a 
courtesy call on Minister of Home Affairs Babar. Resident 
Legal Assistant (RLA) was the notetaker for the meeting which 
lasted 40 minutes. 
 
3.  (C)  CDA stated that the U.S. technical team to install 
the baseline PISCES Machine Readable Passport and Visa system 
could come as early as September. She stated the system had 
been improved such that software adaptation, which was 
originally discussed, was not necessary. Babar agreed that to 
avoid delays, the system would not have to be adapted. 
 
4. (C)   CDA offered to set up a meeting with the USG's 
Passport Agency for Babar during his visit to Washington D.C. 
beginning the week of July 25. Babar did not think this 
appointment was necessary because "We have done homework. We 
have studied six or seven countries and appointed a 
consultant who is an Bangladeshi-American who has consulted 
in India and other places. When CDA further pressed for a 
meeting with USG passport authorities, Babar responded: "In 
two weeks we will make our presentations then float the 
tender. We plan to launch the system in February." Babar 
rebuffed one more effort by the CDA to set up a meeting in 
the U.S. with passport authorities by saying: "The passport 
office is not very conversant with our system...I know 
everything because (I read the briefings) in my notebooks. 
Every week I have studied this." (NOTE: Post continues to 
believe that a meeting at the Passport Agency would be 
useful.) 
 
5. (C) Referring to the draft Anti-Terrorism Act which the 
Ministry of Home Affairs had passed to Ambassador Thomas 
before his departure, CDA stated that government drafters 
appeared to have taken the draconian and unpopular Special 
Powers Act, which the government promised to repeal, and 
inserted it in the new Act.  CDA stated that a terrorism act 
should not provide cover for a law that deprives people of 
their civil rights. Babar defended the inclusion by saying 
"we need this law" and pointed to Thailand and Malaysia which 
have similar laws as support for his position. He did agree, 
however, to CDA's suggestion that RLA could discuss this 
issue with the Ministry's Legal Affairs advisor to address 
mutual concerns. 
 
6.  (C) CDA spoke out against the extra-judicial killings of 
alleged criminals which appear to be on the increase. She 
stated that these killings have attracted the attention of 
the highest levels in Washington. She pointed out that 
Bangladesh's desire for respect in its efforts to foster 
human rights were being undermined by the deaths. Babar 
responded that the government is talking to the police and 
the Rapid Action Battalion, which is viewed as the main 
perpetrator of the extra-judicial killings, to "be more 
careful." He stated, "I don't want to justify it. We are 
pressing them not to do these things." 
 
7. (C) He said the RAB actions were popular because the 
country's criminal justice system could not handle the case 
load. People were frustrated by the liberal bail rules 
applied to culprits as well as the seven or eight years it 
took to bring a defendant to trial if the charges had not 
been dismissed beforehand. He also said that Thailand had 
3500 extra-judicial killings. 
 
8. (C) He reminded CDA that A/S Rocca had agreed to provide 
capacity building support to law enforcement and was told by 
CDA that the list of requests for police assistance during 
D/S Burns' visit had been passed to Washington. 
 
9. (C)  Other points discussed during the meeting included: 
 
-- The investigation on the August 21 attack on Awami League 
leader Sheikh Hasina continues and a few more people will be 
arrested. The BDG believes that 7-10 of the culprits are in 
Calcutta and Interpol is going to prepare a red notice to 
assist in their apprehension. He criticized India for being a 
haven for criminals from Bangladesh. 
 
-- Babar stated that he has suspended police officers in 
connection with the failure to catch Bangla Bhai. He stated 
he has talked to the media to call him personally if they 
have any information. 
 
-- On political killings, Babar stated that 70-80% of those 
who die in these encounters are members of the ruling party. 
He revealed that the Prime Minister has a special committee 
that monitors these crimes. He professed that the country 
believed in rule of law but was only 30 years old and 
couldn't be expected to be as advanced as the United States 
which in its early history had "cowboy killings." 
 
--  On the Kibria murder, the CDA stated the USG still wanted 
to interview the lead defendant in the case. Since the only 
way to do so, after review of the law, was through a court 
order, CDA requested that the Ministry assist in this 
request. Babar said he would have to think about the public 
reaction if a court order were filed. RLA was told to discuss 
the issue with one of his joint secretaries. 
10. (C)  The meeting ended with CDA's expressions of 
gratitude for the excellent protective services provided by 
the Ministry to which Babar responded that since the London 
bombs, security had been doubled. 
 
11. (C) Babar provided no details of his schedule to the 
United States except that he hoped to meet with former mayor 
Giuliani in New York about law enforcement and was taking his 
wife and four children to Orlando to visit Disney World where 
other family members living in North America would join them. 
CHAMMAS