Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DHAKA1068
2007-07-01 08:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:  

A VIEW FROM CHITTAGONG: STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE

Tags:  PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM ECON BG 
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RR RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #1068/01 1820820
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 010820Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4427
INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7993
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1719
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 9163
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0007
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0815
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001068 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM ECON BG
SUBJECT: A VIEW FROM CHITTAGONG: STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
CURRENT GOVERNMENT


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi, for reasons 1.4(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001068

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM ECON BG
SUBJECT: A VIEW FROM CHITTAGONG: STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
CURRENT GOVERNMENT


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi, for reasons 1.4(d)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. "Guide and support this government" was
the refrain from journalists, businessmen, academics and
other elites on a recent visit to Chittagong. While
acknowledging problems and imperfections with the government,
almost everyone endorsed its anti-corruption agenda and asked
the U.S. to be patient and withhold judgment. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) On a two-day trip to Chittagong, SCA Pakistan and
Bangladesh Office Director Karen Aguilar, POLOFF and POLFSN
held meetings with local leaders, businessmen, journalists
and officials to get a sense of how people outside of Dhaka
perceive the current political situation.

OVERALL, STRONG SUPPORT, BUT QUALIFIED
======================================


3. (SBU) Overall, the views of government performance in the
first six months of the state of emergency were positive.
With few exceptions, people expressed support for the
government's direction and urged the U.S. to provide support.



4. (SBU) The Bangladeshi management staff of Youngone, a
Korean-owned garment factory in the Export Promotion Zone
(EPZ),hailed the new efficiency of Chittagong port and
credited the military with having halted the paralyzing
strikes, transportation blockades, and protests that plagued
the city in 2006. The Bangladeshi managers cited economic
mistakes of the government, such as the mandatory shop
closures at 7PM to conserve electricity, which create
hardships for people who shop after work, and the shuttering
or demolition of thousands of tiny, illegal food stalls,
which helped keep the prices of staples down. On the whole,
though, they dismissed these as missteps and said the
government deserved U.S. support to "guide" it.


5. (C) U.S. help in "guiding" the government was also
requested by the local correspondents of three national
papers. The journalists were more critical of the government
and more willing to accuse the military of calling the shots,
but nevertheless, they suggested that the economy was

functioning better now, and that premature elections would
return the country to the old status quo. They admitted they
were careful not to cross the military, and that this
resulted in self-censorship. However, examples of overt
interference by the military in media coverage were uncommon.


"DRAMATIC AND WONDERFUL:" A PORT THAT FINALLY WORKS
============================================= ======


6. (SBU) Youngone Managing Director Peter Bauer told us the
improvements at Chittagong port are "dramatic and wonderful"
and that it now operates like a normal port. He applauded
the government for taking drastic steps against corruption,
and said the practical differences were noticeable. "We
aren't being hit up for bakshish (bribes) from every corner
anymore."


7. (SBU) During a tour of Chittagong port, new Port Chairman
Commodore M. Farooq outlined what he is doing to increase
efficiency and improve conditions. He attributed the
pre-state of emergency problems at the port to interference
from the mayor (now in jail) and labor unions that were more
interested in agitation and playing politics than in their
membership's welfare. One of Farooq's first acts as chairman
was to consolidate the number of recognized port labor unions
from 34 down to one, and remove them from street politics.
He also cracked down on port workers selling their jobs for a
cut of the salary to other workers.


8. (SBU) As a result of these measures, according to Farooq,
the turn-around time for cargo coming into the port was
reduced from nine or ten days to four days. Opportunities
for corruption are being reduced by eliminating the number of
middlemen involved in port ransactions and by ensuring that
correct charges were being levied for storing goods on port
premises. According to Farooq, for a small bribe port workers
would not charge companies the official storage rates, thus
cluttering the port and slowing down the trans-shipment of
goods.


9. (SBU) The elimination of excessive surcharges has brought

DHAKA 00001068 002 OF 002


down the cost of cargo from Singapore to Chittagong from $340
per ton to $170 per ton. Farooq said there is a proposal
pending with the government to reduce the number of port
workers from 8,000 to between 4,000 and 5,000, which would be
in line with the staffing of comparably sized foreign ports.
Significant reductions have occured by culling "ghost"
workers from the payroll.

MESSAGE TO U.S.: "GUIDE AND HELP US"
====================================


10. (C) Key political and civil society figures asked that
the U.S. give the government more time to initiate real
change in the political system. Former Chittagong University
Vice Chancellor Dr. Alamgir Mohammad Serujuddin said this
period is a "golden opportunity" to make real changes to how
the country runs, and the government needs to prosecute
corrupt officials and clean up politics without being rushed
into "premature" elections.


11. (C) Serujuddin admitted the government and military had
made errors -- Chief of Army Staff General Moeen's speech in
April which was perceived as a foray into politics, for
example, and the human rights abuses committed by the
military -- but the military is learning from their mistakes
and trying to make adjustments. Former Chittagong Mayor
Mahmudul Chowdhury asked the USG to "guide" the government
and cooperate with it, and not set a deadline for it to step
down. (NOTE: Chowdhury, a disaffected member of former
President Ershad's Jatiya Party, is a strong candidate to
join a new political party.)

NO PROTESTS IF LADIES CHARGED WITH "REAL" OFFENSES
============================================= =====


12. (SBU) Another consensus point that emerged was that if
Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League and Khaleda Zia of the
Bangladesh Nationalist Party were charged with real crimes,
public support for them would dissipate. Amar Desh
correspondent Zahidul Karim Kochi told us the onus would be
on the government to prove that the cases against the two
ladies were not politically motivated. "Only one thing will
be tolerated: convictions based on serious arrests, not on
fake charges." If this can be established, their supporters
will cut them loose. This point was echoed both by the
business community and local leaders.

COMMENT: "GIVE THE GOVERNMENT TIME"
===================================


13. (C) The message in Chittagong was remarkably consistent:
support the government. Chittagong's pro-business (and
pro-stability) perspective is no surprise given the city's
dependence on the port and how violent and disruptive
political and labor unrest had become there. Nevertheless,
these views indicate an enduring reservoir of goodwill
towards this government, particularly outside the political
bubble of Dhaka.


14. (U) This was message was drafted after SCA/PB Director
Aguilar departed Dhaka.
PASI