VZCZCXRO8124
PP RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #1109/01 0640832
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050832Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5767
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0998
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7332
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8416
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 8927
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1392
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001109 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD PREL PTER BG
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN CROWLEY MEETS WITH JAMAAT ISLAMI 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Congressman Crowley and embassy officials 
met with JI's top leadership including Amir Nizami. Crowley 
noted JI's contributions in counter terrorism, asked JI to 
promote respect for minority rights, sought avoidance of 
election violence and intimidation, raised corruption issues, 
and asked for JI's support of a revamped UN Human Rights 
Commission.  Nizami said that JI is committed to fighting 
terrorism, declared reports of BDG religious intolerance as 
misinformation, allayed concerns of election violence, and 
denied reports of corruption in Bangladesh. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On February 22, Congressman Joe Crowley met with 
Jamaat Islami's (JI) Amir and Bangladesh Minister of 
Industries Motiur Rahman Nizami. JI Senior Assistant 
Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzman, Assistant Secretary 
 
SIPDIS 
General Abdur Razzaq, Robin Roizman, professional staff 
member on the Committee on International Relations, Charge 
d'Affaires, control officer, and poloff (note taker) were 
also present for the 45 minute meeting. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Nizami welcomed Crowley saying that Bangladesh is a 
democracy that is committed to fighting terrorism, seeks 
communal harmony, and constitutionally does not discriminate 
on the basis of religion and therefore respects all 
religions.  Despite this, he said, there are criticisms that 
the BDG does not respect religions. Nizami said Crowley's 
visit would "help remove this misinformation." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Crowley acknowledged the BDG's efforts in fighting 
terrorism, noted that while the majority rules, it must also 
protect minorities, and expressed concern for the coming 
elections. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Nizami said that since the BDG won its democracy 
through armed struggle, it values and protects what its has 
won.  Bangladesh has successfully held three elections under 
its unique caretaker system, each time ensuring free and fair 
elections.  This experience means the next election "is going 
to be more free and fair as it will be a more mature system." 
 This system, he added, permitted the Awami League to come to 
power. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Crowley said that intimidation and the threat of 
student violence during elections is an issue.  Nizami and 
his colleagues responded that there is less violence in 
Bangladesh than in neighboring countries, and that the army 
will keep violence at bay so "we are not unduly concerned." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Nizami responded to Crowley's concern about 
corruption saying that "we are looking into the matter." 
Crowley pressed for some movement on the issue, adding that 
corruption reports such as those from Transparency 
International (TI) make Bangladesh ineligible for funding 
from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). With the 
potential reduction in USAID foreign assistance, the BDG 
could be doubly disadvantaged. Nizami said that there "is no 
corruption" in Bangladesh, that TI does not use "authentic" 
information as its research is based only on newspaper 
reporting, and that as "propaganda" the TI report can't be 
accepted. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Crowley responded by raising the issue of a recent 
tender for police radios where Motorola should be the 
successful bidder, but now the tender may be reissued.  He 
noted that such practices should change, and asked for some 
"discernible movement" on corruption, adding that the BDG has 
demonstrated its ability to address other difficult issues 
such as trafficking in persons and child labor.  Nizami 
replied that the BDG has indeed taken a practical approach to 
child labor issues by paying poor families for their 
children's attendance in school. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The CDA asked Nizami how many seats JI would seek in 
the next election and how the recent JMB bombings might 
affect the election.  Nizami said that JI plans to stay with 
the BNP/JI alliance and will do better in the next election. 
As for JMB, Nizami and others said that the BDG has 
"destroyed JMB's network" and as a result, the JMB has no 
popular support, is not able to launch any attacks, and the 
JMB storm "is over."  Asked about the continued popularity of 
Bangla Bhai, Nizami and others said that Bangla Bhai is 
popular so long as leftist extremists continue launching 
their attacks, but JMB's true agenda is to tarnish Islam and 
 
DHAKA 00001109  002 OF 002 
 
 
create instability in BDG by creating confusion amongst 
Muslims. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Crowley replied that JI has a public relations 
problem.  Many people view JI as an extremist fundamentalist 
organization.  "While it's an image you may not care about, 
there is a growing perception on the Hill, that extremists 
are taking hold" here in Bangladesh. Razzaq told the 
delegation that JMB's aim is not the same as JI's.  "They 
want to kill judges" he said, adding, "don't rely on press 
reports." 
 
¶11. (SBU) Crowley asked Nizami about JI's stance towards the 
UN Human Right Commission, adding that it would be good for 
JI to support strongly the HRC.  Razzaq responded that "we 
are for it" but it is an issue that is not seen as directly 
affecting Bangladesh. 
 
¶12. (U) This cable was cleared by Congressman Crowley. 
CHAMMAS