VZCZCXRO8120
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DE RUEHKA #1107/01 0640832
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050832Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5763
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0994
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7328
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 8923
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8412
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1388
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001107 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM ETRD PTER IR BG
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN CROWLEY MEETS WITH MFA MORSHED KHAN 
 
REF: STATE 199225 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Congressman Crowley met with Morshed Khan 
and discussed terrorism, elections, protection of minorities, 
the BDG economy and corruption, and possible reductions in US 
AID funding. Khan reviewed the BDG's positive actions on 
counterterrorism, expressed optimism about the elections, 
said the BDG told Iran its reservations about Iran's remarks 
towards Israel, and expressed disappointment that the BDG 
does not get credit from the international community for its 
efforts in fighting corruption. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 22, Congressman Joseph Crowley met with 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Morshed Khan. MFA Director 
General Md. Shahidul Islam, Committee on International 
Relations professional staff member Robin Roizman, Charge 
d'Affaires, control officer, and poloff (note taker) were 
also present for the 45 minute meeting. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Crowley told Khan that the State Department 
sponsored his visit and wanted to raise concerns regarding 
terrorism, elections, protection of minorities, the economy 
and corruption, the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), and 
possible reduction in USAID funding. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In regards to terrorism, Khan said it is important 
that the Congressional caucus know that: 
 
--Prime Minister Zia is in charge and the crackdown against 
the terrorists is going well 
--Police have captured most of JMB's foot solders 
--Despite the porous borders with India and Burma that enable 
criminals to operate freely, police have discovered arms 
caches 
--Every Friday, the BDG has ensured that worshippers are told 
that suicide bombers are non-Muslims and that violence goes 
against the tenets of Islam 
 
Khan assured Crowley that the BDG wants to do even more; 
however, "we have limited resources." 
 
¶5. (SBU) On elections, Khan said that the BDG "has an 
excellent track record" with its caretaker system, which has 
been agreed upon by all parties.  He defended the creation of 
new voter lists saying that in the rural areas voter fraud is 
difficult to commit as everyone knows who is a voter. He 
accepted Crowley's statement that police protection of 
Ahmadiyyas from demonstrators was "good," but acknowledged 
reports of minority persecution, particularly land-grabbing 
directed against minorities, and said that he asked the Land 
Ministry for a full report.  Khan decried the hartals, saying 
that economic growth would be double without them, lamented 
the lack of investment in the power generation sector, but 
noted that while the Prime Minister has implemented her 
economic programs well, "foreign encouragement is far short 
of expectations." 
 
¶6. (SBU) Turning to international relations, Khan expressed 
his surprise at Iranian statements that "some countries 
should be taken off the map" and "we have privately expressed 
our (negative) feeling about Iran's statement."  Khan 
continued, saying that the BDG has sent people to India to 
attempt to improve relations, but "India is too busy with its 
western and northern borders" to focus on Bangladesh.  He 
said he wanted to improve Bangladesh's trade deficit with 
"overly protected" India, saying that there is $1.6 billion 
in legal imports from India, but $3 billion in illegal 
imports.  Both figures dwarf Bangladesh's $160 million 
exports to India. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Crowley raised corruption, giving an example of 
Motorola's recent bid on a BDG tender for police radios.  He 
said despite Motorola's apparently successful bid, the tender 
may be reissued.  Crowley said actions like these added to 
USA companies' perceptions that "business here is difficult." 
 Khan dodged the issue, saying that the real problem is the 
free press, whose reports on corruption only increase the 
perception that there is corruption. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Crowley warned about possible reductions in USAID 
funding.  Funding from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) 
could help offset these reductions; however, the BDG's 
failure to take concrete action to address corruption 
 
DHAKA 00001107  002 OF 002 
 
 
prevents Bangladesh from qualifying for MCA funds, 
effectively imposing a double-hit loss of US development 
funding.  Khan said that the BDG has done many good things, 
but fails to get sufficient encouragement from the 
international community.  He said, "we always feel we are 
neglected." 
 
¶9. (U) Congressman Crowley has cleared this message. 
CHAMMAS