CARETAKER ADVISERS REPORTEDLY RESCIND RESIGNATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 006767 SIPDIS SIPDIS REL GBR, CAN, AUS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2016 TAGS: KDEM PHUM PGOV BG SUBJECT: CARETAKER ADVISERS REPORTEDLY RESCIND RESIGNATIONS AS OPPOSITION DEMANDS EXIT OF CHIEF ADVISER REF: DHAKA 6763 Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis, reason para 1.4 d. ¶1. (C) Summary. Chief Adviser Ahmed has reportedly persuaded at least three of the four advisers who tendered their resignations today to step back and join other advisors in a meeting with Ahmed to discuss their concerns about his performance. In response to press reports of the resignations, a conclave of Awami League leaders is considering a proposal for a new program to demand Ahmed's immediate exit as chief adviser. End Summary. Resignations -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On December 11, local media reported that the four Caretaker Government advisors who tried to broker a compromise election package had submitted letters of resignation. They had previously threatened resignation to protest Chief Adviser Ahmed's actions, and had publicly criticized Ahmed's decision Saturday night to deploy the army to "aid civil administration." ¶3. (C) At 1500 local, a confidant of Ahmed's told us that other advisers acting on Ahmed's behalf had located and persuaded three of the advisers -- Akbar Ali Khan, C.M. Shafi Sami, and General (R) Hasan Mashood Chowdhury -- to withdraw their resignations, and were still looking for the fourth -- Sultana Kamal -- to urge her to do the same. At least eight of the ten advisers, he said, have agreed to meet with Ahmed at 1600 today to discuss their concerns about his unilateral decision-making style. Awami League Calls for Ahmed To Resign -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On December 10, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina called for the immediate resignation of Ahmed as Chief Adviser, saying his unwarranted order to deploy the army and his alleged repudiation of a compromise election package had proven his complicity in a design by the former ruling party to steal the upcoming election. ¶5. (C) At 1530 local, Awami League presidium member Kazi Zafarullah confirmed to the Ambassador reports the Awami League is meeting this afternoon to consider a one-point program demanding Ahmed's resignation. The Ambassador noted our understanding that at least three of the advisers have rescinded their resignations, and that calling for Ahmed's resignation would be seen as impractical and a possible trigger for violence. Zafarullah undertook to convey those points to Hasina, and said he would counsel delay to see what Ahmed does next with his advisers. Zia: No More Talks -------------- ¶6. (C) Late December 10, Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia told the Ambassador and British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury there is no point in further talks with the Awami League because of its constantly changing demands and its determination to create problems, like with the voter list, where none exists. Her party activists are working well with Election Commission officials to update the voter list, but they view concessions as a sign of weakness, and the time for further concessions has passed, she said. ¶7. (C) Referring to the aborted compromise election package, Zia denied that her party had ever agreed to the departure of controversial Election Commissioner Zakaria. She also insisted that the 309 local administrative officials the Awami League wants replaced were hired prior to her administration and are therefore not "her" people. ¶8. (C) The Ambassador urged Zia to be flexible to prevent the electoral process from unraveling over two relatively technical points. In response, Zia recalled alleged Awami League perfidy when it was in power, and repeated the view that in the end the Awami League will join, not boycott, the election. She added that people welcomed army deployment as stabilizing DHAKA 00006767 002 OF 002 Military Deployment -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The Army and other security forces have deployed to key locations throughout Bangladesh. In Dhaka, they are clustered at 23 strategic choke-points and have set up camps near major government installations downtown and in a nearby cricket stadium. Checkpoints are stopping vehicles to search for weapons, but traffic and daily life are otherwise at normal levels. Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) Prospects for political compromise appear bleak, in part because the sole point of agreement between Zia and Hasina (reftel) is their stated aversion to new dialogue. BNP smugness that the Awami League is blustering and will join the election infuriates Awami League leaders and emboldens hard-liners to prove BNP wrong. A determined opposition drive for Ahmed's departure would significantly raise tension and the risk of new violence. BUTENIS