US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI8011

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KCRM, KWMN, BG, IN, India-Bangladesh 
SUBJECT: INDIA AND BANGLADESH TRADE SPITBALLS IN INDIAN 
PRESS 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoffrey Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: In the past two weeks, India and Bangladesh 
have been fighting a war of words in the press over 
Bangladeshi allegations of Indian involvement in the August 
17 blasts and the arrest of five Bangladeshi criminals in 
Kolkata  At a September 30 press conference, concluding an 
otherwise constructive Director-General level meeting with 
the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), Bangladesh Rifles 
(BDR) DG Choudhury told reporters that "Indian criminals" 
were responsible for the blasts.  On October 6, the "Indian 
Express" published a story that Kolkata police had arrested 
five Bangladeshi nationals in connection with the bombing and 
failed to notify the Bangladesh High Commission.  In 
response, the Indian MEA called Choudhury remarks "baseless 
and scurrilous," and the Kolkata Special Branch Deputy 
Commissioner told Consulate personnel that the five men were 
suspected illegal immigrants, but not terrorists.  These 
incidents reflect the increased levels of mistrust between 
the neighbors following the August 17 blasts and will pose a 
challenge to PM Singh's plans to use the November SAARC 
summit in Dhaka to establish a more cooperative climate. End 
Summary. 
 
Press Conference Overshadows BSF-BDR Meeting 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) In a press conference covering the biannual September 
29-30 Director-General BSF-BDR meetings in New Delhi, BDR 
Chief Major General Choudhury told reporters that "It is the 
criminals from India who had crossed over and along with 
criminals in our own country were responsible for the 
blasts."  BSF Chief Mooshahary denied the accusations, noting 
that the one person of Indian origin among the 500 arrested 
after the bombings, named Ghiasuddin, had married and settled 
in Bangladesh 17 years ago.  In a September 30 Press 
Briefing, MEA said it was "shocked and dismayed" at the 
"baseless and scurrilous allegations."  According to 
Bangladeshi High Commission (BHC) Political Counselor Mashfe 
Binte Shams, the GOB also believes "some" of the bombs used 
in the blasts have Indian markings which indicate origins in 
Jharkand state. 
 
3.  (C) News of the hostile press briefing overshadowed the 
otherwise constructive BDR-BSF meetings.  BHC Shams explained 
that the DGs agreed on several confidence building measures 
during the meeting, including expanded coordinated patrolling 
along the border and a proposal for BDR training at the BSF 
educational center in Tekanpur.  Choudhury and Mooshahary 
also discussed the GOI request to build fences along the 
"zero line" in areas where Indian villages are situated on 
the border.  The GOB reaffirmed the 1974 treaty preventing 
any defensive structures within 150 yards from the border, 
but agreed to consider specific Indian construction requests. 
 The DGs also agreed on the first ever Indo-Bangla joint 
"beating retreat" ceremony in Akhaura and Benapole, similar 
to the ceremony performed at the Wagah Border between India 
and Pakistan.  Shams commented that Choudhury only referred 
to the role of Indian insurgents in the August 17 blasts in 
response to the Indian media's "aggressive" questioning. 
However, she maintained that the press largely exaggerated 
the statements; Choudhury did not march out of the conference 
half-way through as some stories reported; instead he went to 
a cordial lunch with Mooshahary to conclude the day's events. 
 
 
Bangladeshi Migrants, Not Terrorists, Arrested in Kolkata 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
4.  (U) On October 6, an "Indian Express" story claimed that 
Kolkata police arrested five Bangladeshis on August 18 in 
connection to the bombings and failed to tell the Bangladesh 
High Commission about the arrests.  In the report, Shakil 
Ahmed Biswas, First Secretary of the Bangladesh High 
Commission complained that the failure to notify "goes 
against diplomatic norms" and that he would "take it up with 
the Indian government."  The Deputy Commissioner of the 
Kolkata Special Branch told Consulate personnel that police 
were on high alert after the nearby blasts, but that there is 
no evidence the five men are connected with the blasts.  He 
added that they were involved in some kind of trafficking 
racket, since their documents were faked and they were 
reportedly promised jobs in Dubai.  The Deputy Commissioner 
explained that the police are not required to notify the 
Bangladeshi High Commission every time an illegal immigrant 
is arrested (apparently a common occurrence), and instead had 
notified MEA.  Anupam Ray, MEA Deputy Secretary for 
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, commented that even the 
press report, which he called "journalistic ruminations," 
gives no evidence that the arrested men are involved with the 
blasts.  Ray declined to comment on notification to the BHC. 
 
Comment: Mudslinging Reveals Deeper Frustration 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
5.  (C) The GOI is frustrated that Bangladeshi officials 
continue to make allegations about Indian involvement in the 
August 17 blasts without credible or compelling evidence. 
The press conference gave Choudhury a chance to air some 
dirty laundry, and Bangladeshi diplomats also went straight 
to the press about the arrests in Kolkata.  The Indian press 
coverage reflects the sentiments of many in India who feel it 
is unfair for Dhaka to blame Delhi for its own home-grown 
problems with fundamentalism.  The Indian PM's bilateral 
visit in Dhaka after the SAARC Summit is still on track, but 
his goal of improving relations will be more difficult in the 
current blame-game atmosphere.  The two sides are at least 
continuing to talk and move forward on CBMs despite the 
public rancor. 
 
6.  (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: 
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) 
BLAKE