CODEL CHABOT MEETS WITH HASINA AND ZIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000299 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL BG SUBJECT: CODEL CHABOT MEETS WITH HASINA AND ZIA Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis, reason para 1.4 d. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia reiterated to Congressman Chabot their desire for prompt elections, supported anti-corruption in principle but objected to the mechanics of the current campaign, complained the government ignores them, maintained party reform is already underway, and expressed concern about the removal of their special protective details. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On February 22, Congressman Steven Chabot, the Ambassador,and econoff (notetaker) held separate meetings with Sheikh Hasina, President of the Awami League, and Khaleda Zia, chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Also present with Hasina were party General Secretary Abdul Jalil, Political Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury, and International Affairs Secretary Syed Abul Hossain. Zia was accompanied by former Foreign Minister Morshed Khan, Foreign Affairs Advisor Reaz Rahman, and party Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan. ELECTIONS -------------- ¶3. (C) Hasina and Zia agreed that elections should happen sooner rather than later, and called for a firm election timetable as soon as possible. Hasina focused on elections no later than 120 days from the start of the State of Emergency, which means by May 12, and hoped the fully reconstituted Election Commission would begin work immediately to meet that deadline. She supported a voter list with photographs over a national ID card since the latter would take much longer to produce. Zia talked about an approximately six-month timeframe for elections. CORRUPTION -------------- ¶4. (C) Both leaders asserted that corrupt people should be jailed, that with proper proof they would kick corrupt persons out of their parties, but complained that detainees are being subjected to brutality and torture. Hasina maintained that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is the true home of corruption, and that the Awami League members under arrest are scapegoats for balance. Hasina stressed the need to pull in the "big fish," the top leaders associated with corruption, and complained that the Anti-Corruption Commission had promised not to arrest persons providing requested financial information but that some persons were nevertheless arrested upon leaving the Commission's office. Zia called the process flawed because arrests precede investigations and the filing of charges. She also said she wanted to see a final list of those to be arrested so that everybody else could get back to business without fear or pressure. NO CONTACT WITH GOVERNMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Hasina and Zia objected that the government is not engaging them on virtually any matter. Zia also criticized the slum demolition and street hawker eviction programs, estimating that 350,000 people have been displaced. PARTY REFORM -------------- ¶6. (C) Both parties claimed to be already undertaking internal reform but had few details to offer. Hasina said reform is a continuing process under her party's constitution with each party sub-committee responsible for reform in its own area. Zia referred without elaboration to "soul-searching" underway in her party. SECURITY -------------- ¶7. (C) Both ladies expressed concern at the imminent removal of their Special Security Force protective details. (NOTE: We have heard that this is meant to help "encourage" them to leave the country. The protective details were removed several hours after the meetings. END NOTE) Hasina recalled that she and her senior leaders had been attacked with grenades in 2004, alleged that the terrorist group Jamaatul Mujahidin Bangladesh was linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and that the failure to investigate properly the murder of senior party leader Shah Kibria perpetuated the DHAKA 00000299 002 OF 002 climate of impunity for political violence. ¶8. (U) Mr. Chabot cleared the substance of this cable prior to his departure. BUTENIS