PMO PRINCIPAL SECRETARY SPEAKS CANDIDLY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001135

SIPDIS

INFO AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMCONSUL CALCUTTA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD BG BG
SUBJECT: PMO PRINCIPAL SECRETARY SPEAKS CANDIDLY


Classified By: P/E Counselor D.C. McCullough, reason para 1.4 d.


1. (S) Summary. PMO Principal Secretary Siddiqui told
Ambassador that continued USG pressure on the BDG is
essential to bring to justice the killers of Awami League
leader Kibria, implied that PMO Political Secretary Chowdhury
is tied to the local BNP officials fingered for ordering the
Kibria attack, described PM Zia's promotion of her son
Tarique as her biggest political failure, and indicated that
Civil Aviation Minister of State Nassirudin wants a bribe to
decide whether Biman Airlines buys Boeing or Airbus. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) On March 13, Ambassador met for 40 minutes with PMO
Principal Secretary Kamaluddin Siddiqui. P/E counselor
(notetaker) accompanied.

Kibria Case
--------------


3. (S) Ambassador welcomed the recent arrest of four persons
for the January 27 assassination of former Awami League
Finance Minister Shah Kibria (septel) and the continuing
investigation of Islamist university professor Ghalib and
members of Bangla Bhai's JMJB. Siddiqui remarked that USG
pressure, along with the coinciding World Bank meeting in
Washington on Bangladesh, had finally convinced PM Zia that
for the sake of Bangladesh's international reputation she had
to brush aside the protection of Rajshahi area BNP MP's and
arrest those JMJB "gangsters." He added: "That's the problem
with this BNP government. It only acts under pressure, so it
doesn't get the credit it deserves for doing what it should
have done months ago." He agreed with the Ambassador that it
was essential that Bangla Bhai himself be caught. "They know
where these people are," he said.


4. (S) Ambassador reiterated the importance of bringing
Kibria's killers to justice, and noted press speculation that
a PMO insider is linked to the local BNP leaders charged with
the crime. Siddiqui asked rhetorically if the Ambassador
wanted him to name the individual who everybody knows, he
said, comes from Sylhet and is a "problem." (Note: Siddiqui
was referring to PMO Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury.)

Ahmadiyas
--------------


5. (C) Continuing extremist pressure on the Ahmadiyas is
vexing, the Ambassador said. He expressed appreciation for
police action over the weekend in Bogra to prevent the
seizure of an Ahmadhiya complex, but regretted police
erection of a sign in from of the complex stating it was not
a mosque (septel). Siddiqui indicated agreement, commenting
that while he personally could never forget the killings
Jamaat Islami committed during the 1971 war of liberation,
Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) activists are "more dangerous." He
encouraged enhanced USAID and Western donor outreach to
madrassahs.

Tarique
--------------


6. (S) Ambassador advised Siddiqui that prime ministerial
first son Tarique Rahman's request via confidants for
meetings with senior USG officials in Washington could not be
accommodated for protocol and other reasons. Siddiqui
wholeheartedly agreed, adding, "Dynastic politics are not
good for a nascent democracy." He described PM Zia's
indulgence and protection of her "corrupt" son as her biggest
political failure.

Commercial Advocacy
--------------


7. (C) Siddiqui explained that he had declined to meet with a
Boeing official originally scheduled to come to Dhaka next
week because there's no need for Boeing "to preach to the
converted." He stated that he supports Biman Airlines'
purchase of Boeing aircraft and that he would energetically
press after tomorrow's cabinet meeting the reluctant civil
aviation minister on the political and commercial benefits of
buying Boeing. Siddiqui indicated that one factor for the
delayed decision is Civil Aviation Minister of State Mir
Mohammaed Nassirudin's desire for a bribe.


8. (C) Ambassador also raised the U.S. firm CMG's pending
proposal with the PMO for a 500- megawatt power project in
Megnabhatt. He noted that major benefits for Bangladesh
would include project completion by June 2006, a key
consideration considering the country's current acute power
shortage. Siddiqui confirmed the proposal is under active
consideration by the BDG, and undertook to encourage a
positive decision.

Bilateral Prospects
--------------


9. (C) After a rough second half of 2004, Ambassador noted,
there could now be a new opportunity for enhanced bilateral
relations if the Kibria killing is in fact solved in a
transparent and credible manner, if Ahmadiyas continue to be
protected, if future acts of political and religious violence
are avoided, and if the MFA can deliver on its assurances
that Bangladesh would soon ratify UN counter-terrorism
conventions. Siddiqui, repeating the five points, promised
to relay them to PM Zia.

Comment
--------------


8. (S) Siddiqui often projects himself as personally
sympathetic to USG views and interests, even stating last
year that he supported sending Bangladeshi troops to Iraq.
He has also welcomed USG pressure on such issues as
trafficking in persons as necessary to prod the creaky BDG
into action. But he is strongly loyal to PM Zia, and defends
her with sometimes strained logic. In that context, his
denunciation of Tarique Rahman and his indication that
Political Secretary Harris Chowdury, another Zia loyalist,
might be involved in Kibria's killing represent exceptional
candor.
THOMAS