Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DHAKA683
2007-04-26 03:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:
GOVERNMENT UNVEILS ELECTORAL REFORM PLAN
how-toVZCZCXRO7493 OO RUEHCI DE RUEHKA #0683/01 1160326 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 260326Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3905 INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO IMMEDIATE 7893 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 1616 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU IMMEDIATE 9054 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 9857 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0686 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 1684 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 0319 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 0104 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA IMMEDIATE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000683
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM BG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT UNVEILS ELECTORAL REFORM PLAN
REF: DHAKA 00547
Classified By: Amb. Patricia A. Butenis for reasons 1.4(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000683
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM BG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT UNVEILS ELECTORAL REFORM PLAN
REF: DHAKA 00547
Classified By: Amb. Patricia A. Butenis for reasons 1.4(d)
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Election Commission briefed donors on
its plan for electoral reform. The head of the Commission's
Secretariat laid out a roadmap for preparing a new voter list
SIPDIS
with photographs. The new, computerized database resulting
from this project will serve in the longer term as the basis
for several documents which currently do not exist in
Bangladesh, including national identification cards. END
SUMMARY.
VOTER LIST WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
===========================
2. (SBU) On April 25, the government of Bangladesh invited
international donors to a briefing on their plans for
electoral reform and preparation of a new voter list.
Representatives from most donor embassies, including Canada,
the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Commission, the
United States and the United Nations (UN),attended.
3. (SBU) Election Commission Secretariat head Humayun Kabir
led the presentation. He said the new Election Commissioners
who took office in February reviewed studies on electoral
problems in Bangladesh. The Commissioners agreed a future
list needed to be computerized, and a voter list with voter
identification cards would be a longer-term project.
4. (SBU) Instead, they adopted a proposal endorsed by the
Awami League to create a list with photographs. The database
created by the new registration exercise would also serve as
the basis for a national identification card, addressing
another major need. Secretary Kabir emphasized that this
solution would restore credibility to the election process in
the country, and save money in the long run.
AN 18-MONTH TIMELINE, A $60-80 MILLION PRICE TAG
============================================= ===
5. (SBU) The timeline for the project is 18 months. The cost
of the project is estimated at between $60 and $80 million,
and the Bangladeshi government will ask for donor assistance
to help cover the costs. Working with the United Nations
Development Program, the Election Commission began developing
a roadmap for this new voter list and other electoral
reforms.
6. (SBU) The first phase of the project will require
procurement of 8,000 computers and digital cameras, and
identification and training of 80,000 enumerators. It will
then take about eight months to collect the data, and another
six months to prepare and publish the list.
A TIGHT, BUT FEASIBLE, TIMELINE
===============================
7. (C) The Election Commission is soliciting international
support for this initiative. It approached the UN, which
agreed to providing consultants to formulate a project
implementation plan. The UN will also coordinate multi-donor
funding. Many donors have endorsed the Election Commission's
plan in principle, saying the timeline is feasible, though
perhaps ambitious given the number of serious problems with
the electoral system the Election Commission needs to address.
COMMENT: FINALLY, (MAYBE) AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL REFORM
============================================= ===========
8. (C) The consensus in the donor community is that under
this new Election Commission, the government has finally
started to address the gross politicization and other defects
in the electoral system. There is also broad agreement that
to do this properly will take time, and 18 months is not an
unrealistic timeframe. Furthermore, the plan is receiving
support from the UN and includes many ideas civil society
organizations have been advocating for years. The Commission
has also been consistent -- this roadmap conforms to the plan
described to the Ambassador by the Chief Election
Commissioner earlier in April (REFTEL).
DHAKA 00000683 002 OF 002
9. (C) A mechanism already exists for international donor
coordination in the form of the Local Consultative Group,
which consists of most donor embassies and organizations in
Bangladesh. If donors agree to help fund this plan, they
will have significant leverage to establish benchmarks to
ensure the Election Commission complies with deadlines and
adheres to the plans. Overall, the plan could represent a
significant breakthrough for Bangladesh, since it would be
the first time a sustainable, organic plan for electoral
reform is implemented.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM BG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT UNVEILS ELECTORAL REFORM PLAN
REF: DHAKA 00547
Classified By: Amb. Patricia A. Butenis for reasons 1.4(d)
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Election Commission briefed donors on
its plan for electoral reform. The head of the Commission's
Secretariat laid out a roadmap for preparing a new voter list
SIPDIS
with photographs. The new, computerized database resulting
from this project will serve in the longer term as the basis
for several documents which currently do not exist in
Bangladesh, including national identification cards. END
SUMMARY.
VOTER LIST WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
===========================
2. (SBU) On April 25, the government of Bangladesh invited
international donors to a briefing on their plans for
electoral reform and preparation of a new voter list.
Representatives from most donor embassies, including Canada,
the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Commission, the
United States and the United Nations (UN),attended.
3. (SBU) Election Commission Secretariat head Humayun Kabir
led the presentation. He said the new Election Commissioners
who took office in February reviewed studies on electoral
problems in Bangladesh. The Commissioners agreed a future
list needed to be computerized, and a voter list with voter
identification cards would be a longer-term project.
4. (SBU) Instead, they adopted a proposal endorsed by the
Awami League to create a list with photographs. The database
created by the new registration exercise would also serve as
the basis for a national identification card, addressing
another major need. Secretary Kabir emphasized that this
solution would restore credibility to the election process in
the country, and save money in the long run.
AN 18-MONTH TIMELINE, A $60-80 MILLION PRICE TAG
============================================= ===
5. (SBU) The timeline for the project is 18 months. The cost
of the project is estimated at between $60 and $80 million,
and the Bangladeshi government will ask for donor assistance
to help cover the costs. Working with the United Nations
Development Program, the Election Commission began developing
a roadmap for this new voter list and other electoral
reforms.
6. (SBU) The first phase of the project will require
procurement of 8,000 computers and digital cameras, and
identification and training of 80,000 enumerators. It will
then take about eight months to collect the data, and another
six months to prepare and publish the list.
A TIGHT, BUT FEASIBLE, TIMELINE
===============================
7. (C) The Election Commission is soliciting international
support for this initiative. It approached the UN, which
agreed to providing consultants to formulate a project
implementation plan. The UN will also coordinate multi-donor
funding. Many donors have endorsed the Election Commission's
plan in principle, saying the timeline is feasible, though
perhaps ambitious given the number of serious problems with
the electoral system the Election Commission needs to address.
COMMENT: FINALLY, (MAYBE) AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL REFORM
============================================= ===========
8. (C) The consensus in the donor community is that under
this new Election Commission, the government has finally
started to address the gross politicization and other defects
in the electoral system. There is also broad agreement that
to do this properly will take time, and 18 months is not an
unrealistic timeframe. Furthermore, the plan is receiving
support from the UN and includes many ideas civil society
organizations have been advocating for years. The Commission
has also been consistent -- this roadmap conforms to the plan
described to the Ambassador by the Chief Election
Commissioner earlier in April (REFTEL).
DHAKA 00000683 002 OF 002
9. (C) A mechanism already exists for international donor
coordination in the form of the Local Consultative Group,
which consists of most donor embassies and organizations in
Bangladesh. If donors agree to help fund this plan, they
will have significant leverage to establish benchmarks to
ensure the Election Commission complies with deadlines and
adheres to the plans. Overall, the plan could represent a
significant breakthrough for Bangladesh, since it would be
the first time a sustainable, organic plan for electoral
reform is implemented.
BUTENIS