FOREIGN MINISTER CHALLENGES TERRORISM REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 002083

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2010
TAGS: PTER PGOV BG BG
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER CHALLENGES TERRORISM REPORT

REF: CALCUTTA 0176

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


1. (SBU) On May 2, Foreign Minister Morshed Khan blamed
"organized vested interests" (read India and the Awami
League) for creating the view that international terrorism
exists in Bangladesh. Reacting to the Department's 2004
Country Reports on Terrorism, Khan told journalists that he
sees no sign of activities by the group, the Harakat
ul-Jihad-I-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B),cited in the report.
He attributed the HUJI-B reference to unconfirmed
speculation, and said concerns about what might happen in
Bangladesh apply to any country in the world.


2. (SBU) There has never been an international terrorist
attack in Bangladesh, Khan added, and no Bangladeshi has ever
been arrested as a member of an alleged terrorist
organization. He also noted the BDG's February 23 banning of
Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) and Jamaatul
Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) as proof of Bangladesh's
commitment to the war on terrorism.


3. (C) COMMENT: Our Terrorism report will fan the fears of
those Bangladeshis who think the USG and India are working
together to pressure Bangladesh. The BDG insists Bangladesh
is free of terrorism to avoid complicating the ruling BNP's
alliance with two Islamist parties and Bangladesh's relations
with India. Terrorism is not the only troublesome issue the
BDG tries to ignore. BDG officials have publicly denied the
existence here of cholera, arsenic-contaminated water, and,
most recently (according to the Finance Minister),
unemployment.
CHAMMAS