Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA5766
2006-09-11 11:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:
NGO WORKERS ARRESTED IN ADVANCE OF OPPOSITION
how-toVZCZCXRO6671 PP RUEHCI DE RUEHKA #5766 2541106 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 111106Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1488 INFO RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8674 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7556 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1264 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9319 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1512 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 005766
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PREL BG
SUBJECT: NGO WORKERS ARRESTED IN ADVANCE OF OPPOSITION
PROGRAM
REF: A. 04 DHAKA 01647
B. 05 DHAKA 013
Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 005766
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PREL BG
SUBJECT: NGO WORKERS ARRESTED IN ADVANCE OF OPPOSITION
PROGRAM
REF: A. 04 DHAKA 01647
B. 05 DHAKA 013
Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b)
1. (SBU) Police across Bangladesh have arrested at least 100
members of Proshika, a giant human development NGO, to
prevent them from participating in upcoming anti-government
programs organized by the opposition Awami League. According
to press reports, the Proshika members were arrested without
warrant on the grounds they were involved in "anti-state
activities."
2. (SBU) On September 11, Proshika Legal Chief Abu Syeed told
poloff that 132 Proshika members are in police custody "but
we don't know why Proshika has been targeted." He insisted
that Proshika is involved only in human development work,
such as empowering women in rural areas, and that "we are not
a political party."
3. (C) Deputy Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam
maintained that the Proshika members were arrested following
"intelligence reports that Proshika was planning to create
destruction in the next few days and we are interrogating
them" about this. Asked about their NGO status, he told us
that they are "unlike other NGOs in that they are involved in
political activities and are not exactly what they portray
themselves to be." While there are no direct links to the
Awami League, Alam said, Proshika leader Dr. Qazi Farroq
Ahmed's thinking is "akin to that of the opposition political
party."
4. (SBU) Proshika chairman Qazi Farooq is out of the country,
but his deputy denied to reporters that Proshika has any link
to the opposition's political program.
5. (SBU) On September 12, the Awami League-led opposition
alliance will march towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
in downtown Dhaka. The GOB has imposed a ban for that day on
any kind of gathering, procession, or demonstration in a
broad areas surrounding the PMO. Senior Awami League leaders
have confirmed to us they intend to challenge police
barricades erected to deny them access to those areas. On
September 18, the Awami League plans a mass rally in Dhaka to
announce its next series of anti-government activities.
6. (C) Comment: The new police action against Proshika
indicates growing GOB anxiety about Awami League street
agitation. With some reason, the BNP has long seen Proshika
as an adversary. Beginning in 2002. the GOB froze Proshika's
foreign funding, filed sedition, corruption, and other
apparently baseless charges against Proshika chairman Farooq
were eventually dropped, and in 2004 it arrested hundreds of
Proshika members for providing logistical support to
demonstrations demanding the GOB's resignation by the end of
April. Farooq stoutly denies any political agenda. He
blames Proshika's GOB woes on Jamaat Islami disinformation
and "false" BNP perceptions (shared by many foreign monitors)
that Proshika's 2001 poll watchers were anti-BNP/Jamaat. In
typical Bangladesh fashion, instead of pursuing appropriate
legal sanctions against Proshika, the GOB resorted to various
forms of extra-legal harassment.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PREL BG
SUBJECT: NGO WORKERS ARRESTED IN ADVANCE OF OPPOSITION
PROGRAM
REF: A. 04 DHAKA 01647
B. 05 DHAKA 013
Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b)
1. (SBU) Police across Bangladesh have arrested at least 100
members of Proshika, a giant human development NGO, to
prevent them from participating in upcoming anti-government
programs organized by the opposition Awami League. According
to press reports, the Proshika members were arrested without
warrant on the grounds they were involved in "anti-state
activities."
2. (SBU) On September 11, Proshika Legal Chief Abu Syeed told
poloff that 132 Proshika members are in police custody "but
we don't know why Proshika has been targeted." He insisted
that Proshika is involved only in human development work,
such as empowering women in rural areas, and that "we are not
a political party."
3. (C) Deputy Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam
maintained that the Proshika members were arrested following
"intelligence reports that Proshika was planning to create
destruction in the next few days and we are interrogating
them" about this. Asked about their NGO status, he told us
that they are "unlike other NGOs in that they are involved in
political activities and are not exactly what they portray
themselves to be." While there are no direct links to the
Awami League, Alam said, Proshika leader Dr. Qazi Farroq
Ahmed's thinking is "akin to that of the opposition political
party."
4. (SBU) Proshika chairman Qazi Farooq is out of the country,
but his deputy denied to reporters that Proshika has any link
to the opposition's political program.
5. (SBU) On September 12, the Awami League-led opposition
alliance will march towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
in downtown Dhaka. The GOB has imposed a ban for that day on
any kind of gathering, procession, or demonstration in a
broad areas surrounding the PMO. Senior Awami League leaders
have confirmed to us they intend to challenge police
barricades erected to deny them access to those areas. On
September 18, the Awami League plans a mass rally in Dhaka to
announce its next series of anti-government activities.
6. (C) Comment: The new police action against Proshika
indicates growing GOB anxiety about Awami League street
agitation. With some reason, the BNP has long seen Proshika
as an adversary. Beginning in 2002. the GOB froze Proshika's
foreign funding, filed sedition, corruption, and other
apparently baseless charges against Proshika chairman Farooq
were eventually dropped, and in 2004 it arrested hundreds of
Proshika members for providing logistical support to
demonstrations demanding the GOB's resignation by the end of
April. Farooq stoutly denies any political agenda. He
blames Proshika's GOB woes on Jamaat Islami disinformation
and "false" BNP perceptions (shared by many foreign monitors)
that Proshika's 2001 poll watchers were anti-BNP/Jamaat. In
typical Bangladesh fashion, instead of pursuing appropriate
legal sanctions against Proshika, the GOB resorted to various
forms of extra-legal harassment.
BUTENIS