PRIME MINISTER STRONGLY SUPPORTS USG-ORGANIZED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000613

SIPDIS

PASS TO COMMANDER U.S. PACOM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2019
TAGS: PGOV KDEM BG
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER STRONGLY SUPPORTS USG-ORGANIZED
CIVIL-MILITARY WORKSHOP

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the new Bangladesh
army chief enthusiastically endorsed an upcoming workshop
organized by a U.S. Government think tank to improve
civil-military relations in Bangladesh. They voiced their
support during separate meetings with Lt. Gen. (retired) Ed
Smith, director of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security
Studies (APCSS),which will organize the event with local
partners. The workshop is a key element of U.S. Government
efforts to help Bangladesh grapple with a security sector in
need of comprehensive reform. Post will work with the
Government of Bangladesh and APCSS to ensure the most
appropriate people participate in the workshop.

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TOP OFFICIALS ON BOARD FOR WORKSHOP
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2. (C) In recent months, the Prime Minister has expressed
interest in U.S. Government offers to help her government
work on security sector reform. An important starting point
would be developing a comprehensive national security
strategy that would strengthen civilian control and oversight
over the military, which has been tenuous at best during
Bangladesh's 38-year history. The February 25-26 mutiny by
Bangladesh Rifles border guards, and the subsequent anger
among army officers over the Government response, exposed the
fissures between the civil government and the military and
underlined the need to quickly improve relations.


3. (C) Embassy Dhaka has turned to APCSS to develop programs
to help Bangladesh's leadership strengthen civil-military
relations. APCSS Director Smith on June 11 outlined for Prime
Minister Hasina plans for two workshops -- a regional event
in October and a Bangladesh-specific one in Dhaka in
November. He said the workshops would explore the proper
roles in a democracy for the military, its civilian overseers
and law enforcement agencies such as the police. Hasina
responded by saying good civilian-military relations were
"very essential, not only for Bangladesh but for this
region." Her foreign affairs adviser, Mohammad Ziauddin, at
the meeting praised Smith's plan as a "wonderful concept and
good philosophy" that the Prime Minister would support.


4. (C) Director Smith also explained the upcoming workshops
to the new Chief of Army Staff, General Mohammad Abdul
Mubeen, who enthusiastically endorsed them. (Note: General
Mubeen was army chief-designate when he met Director Smith;
he took over his new post on June 15. End note.) So too did
Foreign Affairs State Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, who said
better civil-military relations were essential to secure
democracy. A highlight of Smith's visit was a roundtable on
civil-military relations at the Bangladesh Enterprise
Institute think tank. Attendees included top officials from
the National Defense College and various intelligence
agencies. The guest speaker was the Prime Minister's security
adviser, Maj. Gen. (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, who
stressed the importance of transparency between the civilian
government and the military, and the need to create a
national committee for security affairs. Both he and the
Prime Minister said institutional exchanges between the
government and the military at all levels were critical.

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OTHER APCSS PROGRAMS WIN SUPPORT
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5. (C) Bangladeshi leaders also expressed support for two
upcoming regional APCSS programs, a Comprehensive Crisis
Management Course in August and a Security Implications of
Climate Change and Water in South Asia workshop in Nepal next
March. Dr. Hasan, whose portfolio includes environmental
security, was particularly interested in the water program.
General Mubeen promised support for both programs, noting
that Bangladesh still lacked crisis management structures at
many tiers of government.

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COMMENT: ROUSING RECEPTION
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DHAKA 00000613 002 OF 002



6. (C) Although Director Smith was in Bangladesh for less
than two days, he got what he came for: strong endorsements
for APCSS programs from the government and military
leadership. This enthusiastic buy-in, particularly from the
Prime Minister, is essential to the success of the workshops.
Although the road to improved civil-military relations will
no doubt be long and complex, the visit confirmed that APCSS
can play an important role in strengthening democracy and
governance in Bangladesh. Embassy Dhaka will continue to work
closely with APCSS and senior Bangladeshi officials to ensure
the right people participate in the workshops and remain
fully engaged in follow-up activity.


MORIARTY