Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA6262
2006-10-13 11:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:
HOME MINISTER PROVIDES BACKGROUND ON CHOUDHURY CASE
how-toVZCZCXRO8456 PP RUEHCI DE RUEHKA #6262 2861122 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 131122Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2126 INFO RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 8750 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1314 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 9403 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 7603 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 006262
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BG
SUBJECT: HOME MINISTER PROVIDES BACKGROUND ON CHOUDHURY CASE
REF: A. DHAKA 06225
B. DHAKA 06257
C. DHAKA 06261
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi; reason 1.4(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 006262
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BG
SUBJECT: HOME MINISTER PROVIDES BACKGROUND ON CHOUDHURY CASE
REF: A. DHAKA 06225
B. DHAKA 06257
C. DHAKA 06261
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi; reason 1.4(d)
1. (C) SUMMARY. Charge d'Affaires a.i. met with Home
Minister Lutfozzaman Babar on October 12 to discuss
journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. Charge informed
Babar that the Embassy remains very engaged in the
Choudhury case. She reminded the Home Minister of U.S.
focus in the case, namely to ensure that Choudhury receives
due process and that his safety is guaranteed. Babar
confirmed GOB concurrence on both points and detailed his
personal efforts on behalf of Choudhury as well as the
attention the case has received within the government,
including from the Prime Minister. POLOFF served as
notetaker. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Babar said the U.S. has been misled by Choudhury,
adding that he has been dishonest. Asking that we "not make
it public," he told us he had been providing Choudhury with
monthly stipends since the latter's release from prison in
2004. According to Babar, on October 4 - the day before
the most recent incident (REFTEL Dhaka 06225) - Choudhury
had called him asking for an emergency advance. Babar
confided that he sent him 20,000 taka (300 USD). The next
day Choudhury called Babar's personal aide to inform him of
the incident. Babar said he immediately ordered police to
Choudhury's office to investigate.
3. (C) Babar dismissed the October 5 attack as a property
dispute completely unrelated to the sedition case.
Hilaluddin Khan owned the property where Choudhury had set
up an office. Khan's brother Mahbubul Alam Khan, who was a
business partner of Choudhury's on the property issue, now
claims that Choudhury falsified documents to claim
ownership of the property. The Home Minister provided
copies of legal documents related to this case. Babar
added that Choudhury is also refusing to pay rent on his
residence, noting that it is frustrating to help Choudhury
when he unnecessarily antagonizes people at every turn.
Describing Choudhury, the Minister said, "he is always
creating a mess, I don't understand it." The two recent
property incidents served to convince him that Choudhury
was "a bad man." Babar said he would not help Choudhury out
in the property cases.
4. (C) The Home Minister said, however, he has been working
to get Choudhury's sedition case dropped. When he asked the
PM for permission to do so, she told him, "do whatever you
have to." Babar arranged with the Law Minister to get the
case dropped. "All Choudhury had to do was file a review
petition [similar to an appeal]," but he dragged his heels.
Babar said that he would continue to try to help Choudhury
in the sedition case. He asked rhetorically, "What is he
going to do when I am out of office at the end of the
month?"
5. (C) Babar detailed another of his efforts to help
Choudhury financially. It involved paying him a large sum
to place positive articles about Bangladesh in US
newspapers and required Babar to approach enlist BNP
officials to contribute money. Choudhury said he would have
a "well-known journalist who wrote for the Washington Post,
the New York Post, etc." place the articles. The articles
never appeared, and when the Bangladesh Embassy in
Washington tried to verify the bonafides of the journalist,
they could find no evidence she existed. Babar confessed he
is paying a political price for endorsing Choudhury.
6. (C) COMMENT: Babar confirmed and detailed the long
history between himself and Choudhury, and while visibly
frustrated, he once again said he would keep Choudhury safe
and ensure his trial is carried out properly (noting
repeatedly that he wants to have the sedition case
dismissed). The Home Minister shared many details about the
Choudhury case for the first time, including his personal
interaction with Choudhury. While very upset with
Choudhury, the Home Minister reiterated his commitment -
and that of his government - to ensure due process and
security for Choudhury. END COMMENT.
PASI
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BG
SUBJECT: HOME MINISTER PROVIDES BACKGROUND ON CHOUDHURY CASE
REF: A. DHAKA 06225
B. DHAKA 06257
C. DHAKA 06261
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi; reason 1.4(d)
1. (C) SUMMARY. Charge d'Affaires a.i. met with Home
Minister Lutfozzaman Babar on October 12 to discuss
journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. Charge informed
Babar that the Embassy remains very engaged in the
Choudhury case. She reminded the Home Minister of U.S.
focus in the case, namely to ensure that Choudhury receives
due process and that his safety is guaranteed. Babar
confirmed GOB concurrence on both points and detailed his
personal efforts on behalf of Choudhury as well as the
attention the case has received within the government,
including from the Prime Minister. POLOFF served as
notetaker. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Babar said the U.S. has been misled by Choudhury,
adding that he has been dishonest. Asking that we "not make
it public," he told us he had been providing Choudhury with
monthly stipends since the latter's release from prison in
2004. According to Babar, on October 4 - the day before
the most recent incident (REFTEL Dhaka 06225) - Choudhury
had called him asking for an emergency advance. Babar
confided that he sent him 20,000 taka (300 USD). The next
day Choudhury called Babar's personal aide to inform him of
the incident. Babar said he immediately ordered police to
Choudhury's office to investigate.
3. (C) Babar dismissed the October 5 attack as a property
dispute completely unrelated to the sedition case.
Hilaluddin Khan owned the property where Choudhury had set
up an office. Khan's brother Mahbubul Alam Khan, who was a
business partner of Choudhury's on the property issue, now
claims that Choudhury falsified documents to claim
ownership of the property. The Home Minister provided
copies of legal documents related to this case. Babar
added that Choudhury is also refusing to pay rent on his
residence, noting that it is frustrating to help Choudhury
when he unnecessarily antagonizes people at every turn.
Describing Choudhury, the Minister said, "he is always
creating a mess, I don't understand it." The two recent
property incidents served to convince him that Choudhury
was "a bad man." Babar said he would not help Choudhury out
in the property cases.
4. (C) The Home Minister said, however, he has been working
to get Choudhury's sedition case dropped. When he asked the
PM for permission to do so, she told him, "do whatever you
have to." Babar arranged with the Law Minister to get the
case dropped. "All Choudhury had to do was file a review
petition [similar to an appeal]," but he dragged his heels.
Babar said that he would continue to try to help Choudhury
in the sedition case. He asked rhetorically, "What is he
going to do when I am out of office at the end of the
month?"
5. (C) Babar detailed another of his efforts to help
Choudhury financially. It involved paying him a large sum
to place positive articles about Bangladesh in US
newspapers and required Babar to approach enlist BNP
officials to contribute money. Choudhury said he would have
a "well-known journalist who wrote for the Washington Post,
the New York Post, etc." place the articles. The articles
never appeared, and when the Bangladesh Embassy in
Washington tried to verify the bonafides of the journalist,
they could find no evidence she existed. Babar confessed he
is paying a political price for endorsing Choudhury.
6. (C) COMMENT: Babar confirmed and detailed the long
history between himself and Choudhury, and while visibly
frustrated, he once again said he would keep Choudhury safe
and ensure his trial is carried out properly (noting
repeatedly that he wants to have the sedition case
dismissed). The Home Minister shared many details about the
Choudhury case for the first time, including his personal
interaction with Choudhury. While very upset with
Choudhury, the Home Minister reiterated his commitment -
and that of his government - to ensure due process and
security for Choudhury. END COMMENT.
PASI