VZCZCXRO3931
OO RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #1542 2640807
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210807Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5137
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1826
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0176
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 9284
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 8095
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0920

UNCLAS DHAKA 001542 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PASS TO DS/IP/NEA-SCA, DS/IP/ITA, DSERCC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC PHUM BG
SUBJECT: DEMONSTRATIONS ANTICIPATED IN WAKE OF CARTOON THAT INSULTS 
PROPHET 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: A cartoon satirizing the name of the Prophet 
Mohammed has led to the arrest of the cartoonist and a demand from 
Islamic clerics for the arrest of the editor and the publisher of 
the Bangladesh newspaper that published it.  Some clerics threatened 
countrywide demonstrations after weekly prayers on Friday if the 
government fails to meet their demand.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Police September 18 arrested freelance cartoonist Arifur 
Rahman, who satirized the name of Mohammed by using the Prophet's 
name in conjunction with an animal, in this case a cat, in a cartoon 
published in a satirical magazine, a publication of Dhaka's largest 
circulation newspaper, Prothom Alo.  A Dhaka court September 19 sent 
Rahman to jail for 30 days September 19, under a Special Powers Act 
(SPA) order, which is meant for preventive detention.  Prothom Alo, 
for its part, published announcements apologizing for inadvertently 
publishing the "unacceptable" cartoon; withdrew the cartoon; vowed 
action against employees responsible for it, and promised not to 
publish any cartoons by Arifur Rahman in thd future.  The government 
confiscated issues of the magazine on newsstands. 
 
¶3. (U) Some Islamic clerics demanded the government arrest Prothom 
Alo editor Matiur Rahman, its publisher Mahfuz Anam and others 
responsible for publishing the cartoon and cancel the paper's 
license.  (NOTE:  Mahfuz Anam is also the editor of the Daily Star, 
an English-language newspaper in Dhaka.  END NOTE.)  The clerics 
threatened countrywide demonstrations after Friday prayers September 
21 if the government failed to meet their demands.  In a September 
18 meeting with Law and Information Adviser Mainul Hosein, another 
group of Islamic clerics recommended handing over the Prothom Alo 
editor and publisher to the "hands of law" and called for calm. 
Echoing the clerics' call for calm, Hosein referred to the cartoon 
as a conspiracy to destabilize Bangladesh weeks after violent 
protests at Dhaka University rocked the country. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Chief Advisor's Press Secretary Fahim Munaim told us 
that the Council of Advisors September 19 discussed the situation 
and the possibility of arresting the editor and publisher, but did 
not make a final decision.  Editor Rahman himself, however, has told 
us that the Chief Advisor, who is in charge of the Home Affairs 
Ministry, has decided to file a case against him and the cartoonist, 
charging them with "hurting the religious feelings of the people." 
Other sources indicated that police and some intelligence agencies 
unsuccessfully tried to persuade the Chief Advisor to order Rahman's 
arrest.  Editors of ten Dhaka newspapers in a statement issued after 
a meeting with Advisor Mainul Hosein September 20 called upon the 
public to forgive Prothom Alo in view of its apology and other 
actions; the editors asked the newspaper not to repeat the same 
mistake in the future. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Given the high sensitivity of any perceived 
disrespect shown to Prophet Mohammed in this predominantly Muslim 
society, the government seems to have moved quickly to involve 
Islamic clerics in trying to defuse the situation, which had a huge 
potential to destabilize the country.  The newspaper's apology and 
action against the cartoonist and others responsible for its 
publication, the arrest of the cartoonist, and the call for calm 
from the clerics and the government may help keep the situation 
under control. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment, continued:  The Charge convened an EAC meeting at 
the end of the day Thursday, September 20.  RSO shared police 
reports that a demonstration of as many as 50,000 people is expected 
Friday in front of Dhaka's Baitul Mukarram Mosque, a popular 
rallying point.  Police believe smaller demonstrations may occur at 
other landmarks, including at Prothom Alo's offices.  In response to 
the threat of demonstrations, the Embassy has distributed 
Mission-wide a security notice that advises caution and notes areas 
of Dhaka that are off-limits to Mission personnel.  The notice has 
been posted on the Embassy website.  The Embassy will monitor any 
demonstrations on Friday and continues to follow issues of press 
freedom in Bangladesh.  End Comment. 
 
PASI