JAMMAT MP FOR A HINDU CONSITIUENCY

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 003321 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2016 TAGS: PGOV KISL BG SUBJECT: JAMMAT MP FOR A HINDU CONSITIUENCY Classified By: A/Pol Counselor D Renz; reason para 1.4 (d). ¶1. (U) On a recent trip through the southwest, PolOff met with Golam Parwar, a Jamaat Islami MP. Parwar represents the Dumuria area of Khulna district, a constituency that is 35-40% Hindu and voted for Awami League (AL) consistently prior to 2001. As it is highly unusual for Hindus to support Islamic parties, we spoke with the candidate and some constituents to better understand this unusual phenomenon. ¶2. (U) This constituency is largely made up of rural people employed in farming and shrimp raising. There was some variety of opinions from them on how JI won in 2001, but everyone referred to the effect of the "ultra-Maoists" organizations that have operated around Khulna since Bangladeshi independence. Ultra-Maoists gangs, connected to the Naxalites of West Bengal, are believed to be responsible for scores of murders, extortions and other related crimes that occurred prior to the 2001 election. Villagers who defined themselves as local AL leaders say that ultra-Maoists targeted minorities in the days before the election, threatening them with violence if they tried to vote. Villagers claiming no party affiliation denied this type of intimidation. They said voters wanted an end to the gangs' criminal behavior, and JI seemed the most likely candidate to restore law and order. Villagers also listed Parwar's presence at Hindu festivals, his donations to support temples, and his willingness to have direct contact with the voters as factors which inspired confidence. ¶3. (U) When asked who they believed would win the next election, most people fefused to guess. A few said that AL had a good chance of taking back the constituency. With law and order restored, constituents were more likely to vote their pocketbooks, and Parwar had not brought much development activity to the district. A business leader we spoke with in Khulna said that because of Parwar's intensive outreach to minorities he had a good chance of holding on to his seat. ¶4. (C) After meeting his voters, PolOff and FSN met Parwar in his home. He was the only politician we met on this trip who ensured that we would be greeted by the media; pictures of the meeting appeared in the press the next day. He was well informed about the demographics of his constituency and honest about the economic and environmental damages facing the area. When asked about his unusual situation at the head of a large minority population, he claimed he was not surprised, since there was such a high degree of communal harmony in Bangladesh. He mentioned his government,s effective use of Operation Clean Heart and RAB as tools for fighting the ultra-Maoists and restoring law and order. Parwar said the ultra-Maoist gangs were tools of the AL, used by them to extort money from shrimp farmers to acquire wealth and stay in power. He claims he has brought development projects to the district, and proudly mentioned that all five jute mills in his district are up and running. He expressed confidence that the four-party coalition will win in the upcoming elections, and the JI in particular will increase its number of seats. ¶5. (C) Comment: JI won this seat with a candidate focused on constituent demands, not on party ideology or opposition bashing. Parwar has used a combination of media savvy, solid public relations skills, and a strong hand combating criminals to build up trust in an otherwise hostile environment for Jamaat. This style of politics is a stark contrast to what we see from the AL and BNP leadership. His seat is one of several in the southwestern districts that Jamaat won in 2001, and due to his political skills and party support, may hold in the next election. BUTENIS