BANGLADESH'S THIRD LARGEST CITY PREPARES FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 000781

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR PINS BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH'S THIRD LARGEST CITY PREPARES FOR
MAYORAL ELECTIONS ON AUGUST 4

Classified By: CDA a.i. Geeta Pasi. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Summary
=========


1. (SBU) Summary: Preparations for the August 4 city
corporation elections are well underway in Khulna,
Bangladesh's third largest city, located in the economically
depressed southwestern corner of the country. While the
Election Commission is confident voting will go smoothly, the
campaigning is bereft of the excitement normally associated
with elections in Bangladesh, as the candidates and their
supporters remain uncertain how to behave despite the
relaxation of the State of Emergency. The six candidates for
Khulna Mayor are all familiar faces, some of whom have
decidedly checkered pasts. Mirroring their attitudes at the
national level, the political parties have adopted an
ambivalent position regarding elections. Civil society
groups and the media are trying to help promote free and fair
elections but appear most concerned about what happens after
the polls. Meanwhile, the people of Khulna are more focused
on how to jumpstart their moribund economy and rebound from
years of economic decline. End Summary

Subdued Election Preparations in Khulna
=======================================


2. (SBU) With just two weeks to go until the first elections
since the January 11, 2007 State of Emergency, the situation
in Khulna, Bangladesh's third largest city, appears calm.
During a meeting with visiting Pol/Econ Counselor, the local
Deputy Commissioner (responsible for overseeing all GOB
activities in Khulna District) seemed more concerned about
the outcome of the Women's Finals at Wimbledon (which was
being rebroadcast on the television in his office) than he
did about the elections. While more engaged than the Deputy
Commissioner, the local representatives of the Election
Commission also seemed ambivalent about the elections.


3. (SBU) The Election Commission told us they welcomed
observers and would provide full support to teams deployed by
the Embassy on election day. His staff consists of five
young officers. They took pride in the recently completed
voter list, and said that there had been no major
complaints/problems with the list. (Note: The candidates and
other observers echoed this view). The EC representative
confidently predicted a strong voter turnout. He said there
would be restrictions on movement around the city on August
4, but the EC had not yet decided whether to cut off cell
phone service as had been done in the past on election day.
The EC said they would have adequate police and other
personnel on duty. The EC expected each candidate would have
polling agents at each polling booth, and the Commission was
currently developing plans to provide training to these
individuals.

Familiar Faces Running for Office
=====================================


4. (SBU) In comments to the press published July 22, the
Chief Election Commissioner complained that the same old
faces were being nominated in the city corporation and
municipal elections. He could easily have had Khulna in
mind, where the six candidates include: Talukder Abdul Khaleq
(former Awami League State Minister and current AL local
party President),Moniruzzaman Moni (currently acting Mayor
and local BNP Organizing Secretary),Advocate Enayet Ali
(former Awami League Mayor),Advocate Feroj Ahmed (Communist
Party of Bangladesh activist) and relative unknowns Advocate
Moslemuddin and Shekih Tayebur Rahman. Khaleq is facing
criminal charges, including for illegal gambling, and Moni
was formerly accused in a murder case.


5. (C) We heard repeated suspicions that some candidates
might be receiving support behind-the-scenes from the CTG or
security services. Recent photographs of former-Mayor Enayet
Ali meeting with local representatives from the Directorate
General of Forces Intelligence raised questions about his
campaign. For the record, Enayet denied receiving any
support from DGFI, and instead complained about efforts by
local Awami League activists to discourage him from running
for office. For his part, Acting Mayor Moni said the Local
Government Ministry had chosen him, and a complaint was
lodged by his opponents when Local Government Adviser Anwarul
Iqbal recently visited Khulna to reopen a jute mill in the
city. Moni's opponents complained to the Election Commission
that the Adviser,s visit was in direct contravention of
rules barring Ministers from visiting areas after the

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election date was announced. A well known BNP activist, the
acting Mayor, has distanced himself from his party. His
predecessor, also from the BNP, had been in office for the
past seventeen years but was now in jail on corruption
charges.


6. (SBU) Mayoral Candidate Khaleq's supporters told us he
was running with the full support of the Awami League, even
though City elections were nominally non-partisan. Khaleq
was formerly a State Minister during the AL's 1991 ) 1996
government, and is the local AL President. Khaleq's campaign
platform focused on anti-corruption and development of local
infrastructure. He and his party supporters complained of
too many restrictions on campaigning and too little time for
reaching out to voters. The candidates were trying to reach
the estimated 400,000 registered voters, but were not being
allowed to use the normal campaign practices of using
banners, loudspeakers, and holding large rallies.

Parties Ambivalent about their Roles
====================================


7. (SBU) Local representatives of the Jamaat Islami
Bangladesh told us they were following the Four Party
Alliance's position of boycotting the municipal elections.
The Jamaat leaders we met were very well organized and aware
of the state of play of political issues at the national
election. They had a number of questions about US policy in
Bangladesh and the region, and expressed strong support for
both their leader Jamaat Ameer Moulana Nizami and imprisoned
former BNP Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The Jamaat told
us that they were not supporting any candidate in the Mayoral
elections, but were not telling their supporters to boycott
the polls.


8. (SBU) Likewise, local BNP leaders were respecting their
party's decision to boycott the municipal elections, and told
us they were not providing any support to the Acting Mayor's
campaign. When asked, the BNP leadership said that it would
be up to the party's central leadership to decide whether to
discipline Moni for defying the leadership by running for
office. The local BNP leadership said that they were in
close contact with the Party's central officials, and denied
that there was any split within the party at the Khulna
level. They expressed hope that the BNP would hold a Council
Meeting prior to the December elections to determine the
party's future stance. They claimed that the party, and the
Four Party Alliance, remained strong at the grassroots level.
(Note: Khulna has been a traditional BNP stronghold, with
past mayoral and Parliamentary elections going to BNP
candidates).

Civil Society and Media Playing Positive Role
=============================================


9. (SBU) While the politicians and the parties are focused
on winning the elections, the media and civil society are
trying to fill a void by educating potential voters about the
issues. They are also focused on avoiding a return to
"winner take all" politics, and are trying to convince the
candidates to work together regardless of who wins the
elections. ATN Bangla and BBC are organizing television and
radio forums for the candidates, with the first held July 21.
A local US-funded NGO, Rupantor, also helped the Khulna
Citizen's Forum organize a "meet the candidates" event on
July 20 and a forum for female candidates on July 21. As
part of the international donor-funded Election Working
Group, Rupantor is also planning to field local observers on
August 4.

What Do the People Want?
========================


10. (SBU) While there is interest in the return of political
activity, most in Khulna realize that the mayoral elections
are only the first step in addressing the region's serious
economic problems. In recent years, Khulna has lost over one
million industrial jobs, as jute mills and other factories
have closed. Residents complain about lack of electricity
and gas needed for industrial development. Nearby Mongla
port stands idle, and plans to build a bridge over the Padma
River have gone nowhere. As a result of poor governance,
Khulna city suffers from poor urban infrastructure, even as
its citizens pay some of the highest taxes in the country.
Workers in the jute sector have threatened to boycott the
August 4 elections until their demands for better working
conditions and salary and are met. Cynics believe that the
workers are simply trying to revive an old custom of getting

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bribes from candidates for locally elected offices.

Comment
=======


11. (SBU) One longtime Khulna resident told us that it is
the "Best of times, and the worst of times" for his adopted
city. Like many in Bangladesh, residents of Khulna
understand the opportunity the Caretaker Government has
offered to improve governance and reduce corruption. They
hope to have new elected leaders who will be effective
advocates for their interests at the national level. At the
same time, they remain cynical that anything will change,
particularly as they see the same old faces coming forward in
the current elections. Odds are, voting will go smoothly on
August 4. The real question will be whether anything will
change for the people of Khulna after that date.
Pasi