USCIRF VISIT TO BANGLADESH

UNCLAS DHAKA 001242

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV BG
SUBJECT: USCIRF VISIT TO BANGLADESH

REF: `


1. Members of the United States International Commission on
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) visited Dhaka from February 26 to
March 2 and met with Bangladeshi religious, political, civil
society and economic leaders to discuss the state of
religious freedom and efforts to protect and promote the
rights of religious minorities.


2. Commissioners Michael Cromartie, Felice Gaer and Preeta
Bansal met with representatives of the major religious sects.
Asked how the rise of Islamic extremism affected their
groups, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Ahmadiya leaders
replied that, while they were generally free to carry on
religious activities, they felt that their safety was
threatened by small groups of violent extremists. All the
minority groups said that they were discriminated against in
government and private sector employment, in university
admissions, and in the courts.


3. The Commissioners also met with the Foreign Minister, the
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the
Minister for Education, the Minister of State for Religious
Affairs, and the Minister for Industries. USCIRF members
asked about government and private funding for madrassah
education, land rights for indigenous groups, allegations of
abuse and discrimination against religious minorities
following the 2001 elections, and other issues brought up by
participants at CIRF's open forum on Bangladesh in 2004.
Government officials repeatedly stated that freedom of
religion was a guaranteed constitutional right, that Islamic
extremism was a problem for a few months in 2005 but it was
now under control, and that Bangladesh was a moderate Muslim
majority country with no issues of communalism. Many cabinet
members spoke of the successful 2004 concurrent celebrations
of Eid-al-Fitr and Durga Puja, the most important holidays of
the Muslim and Hindu communities. Despite the unusual
overlapping of these two festivals, there were no reported
clashes or disturbances between the two groups.


4. Other events during the visit included a meeting with
Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, a lunch with Islamic
clerics and scholars, discussions with Hindu business
leaders, a lunch with female human rights and civil society
leaders, and dinners hosted by the Charg d'Affaires and the
Foreign Secretary. The Commissioners heard a range of
opinions from these groups. Some stressed the achievements
of Bangladesh in the last 30 years to promote development,
democracy and religious freedom. Others emphasized
Bangladeshi human rights abuses, the climate of impunity and
the recent attacks by groups like JMB and JMJB.


5. The visit created significant media interest. Visits
with the Ahmadiya leadership, the Catholic Archbishop, and
many of the ministers received both press and broadcast
coverage.


6. This cable was drafted after the Commissioners departed
Dhaka.
CHAMMAS