US embassy cable - 05DHAKA5643

UNCLAS DHAKA 005643 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, PHUM, PREL, PGOV, ETRD, BG 
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH RECRIMINATIONS TOWARDS LABOR RESTART 
 
REF: DHAKA 3176 
 
1. (SBU)  BDG security elements are again pressuring a USAID 
labor partner organization. In July, the National Security 
Intelligence (NSI) started visiting the offices of the 
Bangladesh Independent Garment Union Federation (BIGUF) on a 
regular basis to ask questions about the identity of the 
labor organizers, the membership, the union's activities, 
their finances, and home addresses of staff.  BIGUF works 
closely with the USAID-funded American Center for Labor 
Solidarity (ACILS), also known as Solidarity Center.  Shortly 
after the July visits started, post raised the issue with the 
Prime Minister's office and the NSI, visits stopped. 
 
2. (SBU) Accordingly to BIGUF staff, NSI visits restarted in 
the beginning of October.  In addition, members of the feared 
and controversial Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) began making 
visits to BIGUF offices here and in Chittagong, and in the 
smaller satellite offices of Mirpur and Gazipur, located in 
the outlying areas of Dhaka.  RAB is infamous for having 
suspects in its custody die in "crossfires." 
 
3. (SBU) BIGUF staff told poloff that sometimes both RAB and 
NSI come in large numbers, sometimes in pairs, but always in 
plain clothes. They take photographs of the premises, both 
outside and inside, telling the staff, "if you cooperate you 
will not face problems."  BIGUF says they are not permitted 
to closely inspect the identification presented by either RAB 
or NSI, but are given cell phone numbers and told to call 
their chief to verify their credentials.  The visits to the 
BIGUF main office in Dhaka occur two to three times a week, 
according to staff. 
 
4. (SBU) When asked what reason could there be for the return 
of police pressure, BIGUF staff say that that one NSI officer 
told them that "you are not acting as a traditional union, 
but are acting as an NGO," and threatened to terminate their 
union registration because of these actions.  BIGUF staff 
added that statements from manufacturers and garment owners 
have accused BIGUF of "taking money from foreign 
organizations," which the factory owners say is against the 
law. 
 
5. (SBU) Comment: Post will continue to raise this issue with 
the BDG to underscore our concern that BIGUF and the 
Solidarity Center are neither harassed, threatened, nor 
otherwise treated outside the bounds of the law. 
CHAMMAS