VZCZCXRO7878
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHGI RUEHJS RUEHKUK RUEHLH
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKA #0735/01 2090718
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280718Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9224
INFO RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000735 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INSB AND SCA/PPD 
STATE FOR S/P - GREG BEHRMAN 
STATE PASS PEACE CORPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON OEXC OSCI PREL SCUL SENV SOCI TNGD TSPL
BG 
SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP TO THE CAIRO SPEECH:  ENGAGING WITH THE MUSLIMS 
OF BANGLADESH 
 
REF: STATE 71325 
 
Summary and Recommendations 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶1. (U) Muslims in Bangladesh have shown great enthusiasm for 
following up with the U.S. on many of the themes unveiled in the 
President's Cairo speech.  Mission Dhaka recommends the following 
areas of opportunity to foster dialogue with Muslims here: 
 
-- Bring the Peace Corps Back to Bangladesh.  The Peace Corps, 
pulled from Bangladesh in 2006, is precisely the effective, 
multifaceted U.S. engagement our interlocutors encourage. 
 
-- Increase the number of Americans who visit Bangladesh.  Our focus 
groups all stated that increased contact with Americans would 
increase understanding and enhance the U.S. image in Bangladesh. 
This includes visits from U.S. Government officials to "everyday 
Americans" including educators, sport figures, local religious 
leaders, and youth. 
 
-- Continue working with the madrassas, both Qaumi and Aliah.  As 
the number of madrassas continues to increase across Bangladesh, we 
need to continue to engage madrassa students and teachers to foster 
more positive dialogue.  The Embassy sponsored English-language 
training offered to madrassa English teachers, curriculum work with 
the Madrassa Training Institute (MTI), and U.S. Government-funded 
speakers/groups visiting madrassas and discussing education issues 
should be continued and expanded. 
 
-- Science and Technology mentorship programs.  Participants 
encouraged the U.S. to establish mentorship programs between 
promising young (22-35) professionals in the science and technology 
fields and U.S.-based mentors.  The Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs is currently sponsoring a program linking young 
women professionals from the NEA region with mentors in the U.S. 
This program, under a grant totaling about $350,000, involves 
two-way exchanges focusing on practical, scientific approaches to 
addressing issues like food security and global warming.  Such a 
program would greatly benefit Bangladesh. 
 
-- USAID programs should, to the extent possible, include local 
imams and religious leaders.  For example, bringing in a local imam 
to the opening of a newly-opened health clinic, meeting the staff 
and touring the facilities may be a highly effective way to assure 
the local populace that the clinic is a safe place to go.  Also, 
conducting programs at a clinic engaged in women's healthcare to 
male religious leaders in a Koran/Muslim-centric way could greatly 
increase the success of such endeavors.  USAID's "Leaders of 
Influence" program is already doing most of these activities. 
 
-- Broaden the message from the U.S. Mission: Participants said that 
they see the U.S. Mission as playing an active role on issues 
directly affecting Bangladesh.  However, they encouraged Mission 
staff to also speak about other issues affecting the U.S. image 
abroad, especially among Bangladesh's 140 million Muslim majority. 
This includes discussions about U.S. efforts to solve the 
Israeli/Palestinian conflict, issues surrounding Iran, and 
continuing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  For 
example, some participants noted that it is widely known that the 
U.S. opposes Iran's development of nuclear weapons.  Fewer 
Bangladeshis understand or are aware that the President has also 
initiated negotiations with Russia to reduce the U.S. nuclear 
arsenal.  Focus group participants suggested that presenting this 
sort of broader information shows that the President "will practice 
what he preaches" on key issues of interest.  End Summary. 
 
Methodology/Discussion: Roundtables 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2. (U) Mission Dhaka conducted thematic consultations per reftel 
with key local contacts to discuss the speech and seek 
opinions/ideas on ways the U.S. could further enhance our engagement 
in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.  An American Public Affairs Officer 
chaired each of three focus groups.  Participants included 
representatives from civil society organizations, government 
employees, business leaders, academics, NGO leaders and the media. 
 
¶3. (U) The first roundtable focused on science, technology and 
entrepreneurship issues. The participants examined areas where the 
U.S. could engage Bangladesh in a way that is different from the 
donor model for assistance.  First, participants stated that the 
U.S. could help increase the use of Information Technology (IT) in 
education.  Working through public-private partnerships, the U.S. 
Government, large companies and NGOs could expand access to 
 
DHAKA 00000735  002 OF 002 
 
 
Internet-based learning for students throughout Bangladesh.  Another 
area where the USG could assist would be facilitating access to 
academic journals to university students.  While many were published 
on the Internet, they were not always affordable.  This information 
could be shared via a web-based portal with registered students and 
faculty.  The third area that the group emphasized was encouraging 
Americans to visit Bangladesh.  This could be through expanding 
existing programs or creating new programs, like a science fellow 
program.  One major question was whether the Peace Corps could 
return to Bangladesh to work in areas such as education, 
sanitation/water resources and electrification. 
 
¶4. (U) The second roundtable focused on women's education and 
empowerment, health, and development issues.  In this roundtable, 
participants discussed women's education, as well as primary 
education generally, and the economic role of women. They also 
discussed the economic and social effects of climate change in 
Bangladesh.  They identified poverty as the main factor causing 
girls and ethnic minorities to drop out of school (in order to 
support their families).  Participants discussed how poor families 
often enroll their children in madrassas because madrassas will 
house and feed students and provide a social safety net to the 
families.  Participants agreed that the social and economic status 
of women was improving in Bangladesh. The rise of the garment 
industry had accelerated social change by bringing women into the 
workforce, they said. Priorities for future empowerment programs 
should include improving education and vocational skills training, 
and reducing violence against women and early marriage.  Finally, 
participants were very concerned about the future impact of climate 
change, and stressed that rising sea levels would affect all 
development projects, causing massive displacement and resulting in 
human rights problems. This topic resulted in the most concrete 
ideas for involving the international community.  Participants 
wanted to see an exchange program or international conference that 
would bring together those working on coastal management and the 
effects on humans of climate change, from both the scientific and 
social perspectives.  They also requested USG assistance to make a 
short film that could be shown to those in danger of displacement to 
raise awareness about climate change and explain the necessity of 
future relocation.  Last, they wanted to increase exchange programs 
in science and technology to ensure that more scientists receive 
training to help Bangladesh deal with climate change. 
 
¶5. (U) The third roundtable centered on faith groups and interfaith 
issues.  All of the participants applauded the Cairo speech and its 
intent.  They also welcomed the Embassy invitation to offer their 
opinions to the U.S. government.  By itself, this consultation 
approach was new to them and an indication of a new era.  The 
group's primary recommendation was that the Embassy must engage with 
imams and madrassa leaders (both Aliah and Qaumi) in a much more 
direct way.   The participants pointed out that a huge percentage of 
the population is illiterate, and much of their information and 
intellectual guidance comes from imams at Friday prayers.  While 
rural villagers may not have access to a TV or radio (much less the 
internet) their weekly attendance at prayers is a near certainty, 
and the imam's weekly message carries a great deal of weight.  U.S. 
involvement, dialogue, and partnerships with imams and other 
religious figures will therefore do more to foster a better image 
and relationship than almost anything. 
 
Comment 
------------ 
 
¶6. (U) Overall, participants across government, academia, civil 
society and the private sector continue to be very receptive to the 
President's Cairo speech.  From these consultations, it is clear 
that the President's speech resulted in widespread goodwill within 
Bangladesh.  The challenge is to expand and deepen our outreach 
efforts throughout the country, especially to raise awareness of the 
many U.S. Government programs already in place that are now working 
directly on the issues highlighted by our focus groups.  Post can 
amplify its efforts with the practical suggestions derived from this 
initial dialogue.  These focus groups have allowed the Embassy to 
establish good working groups to continue this outreach in the 
months to come. 
 
MORIARTY