PARLIAMENT RECONVENES; BNP OPPOSITION CONTINUES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000063 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INSB AND DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM BG SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT RECONVENES; BNP OPPOSITION CONTINUES BOYCOTT Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman opened Parliament's fourth session on January 4 by calling for unified government action and a proper role for the opposition. Although the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party continued its boycott of Parliament plenary sessions during the opening, the party is considering a return. Parliament is scheduled to consider several proposed bills during its session, including a number that would improve human rights protections. President Calls for United Effort -------------- ¶2. (U) During his opening speech as Parliament began its fourth session on January 4, President Zillur Rahman called for "shunning the politics of confrontation" and asked Parliament for a united effort to meet the government's goals as stated in the Awami League's 2008 "Charter for Change" manifesto. Rahman also underscored the need for the opposition to play its proper role in parliament. He outlined the government's goals on education reform, development, expansion and upgrading of information technology, improvement of communication networks, boosting of food production, and reduction of the number of Bangladeshis living in poverty to 15 percent from the current 40 percent by 2021. Rahman highlighted government success during 2009, including containing inflation and rising food prices despite the global recession, bolstering law and order and countering terrorism, and playing a strong role in drawing international attention to climate change effects on Bangladesh. (Note: In Bangladesh's system, the President's speech is written by the government. End note.) BNP Continues Boycott -------------- ¶3. (U) As Parliament resumed, the BNP, Bangladesh's main opposition party, continued to boycott plenary sessions, even as the party participated in working committees. The BNP began its boycott in April 2009, during the second parliamentary session. The BNP's boycott initially protested the reallocation of some parliamentary front-row seats, previously occupied by the opposition, to accommodate ruling coalition Members of Parliament (MPs). Since then, the BNP has developed a list of ten demands to be met before ending the boycott. The demands included the withdrawal of "politically motivated" corruption cases filed against BNP Chairwomen Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Rahman and other party leaders; halting the government's efforts to remove Khaleda Zia from her government provided house; and allowing Parliament to discuss opposition proposals on issues of national interest. (Note: The constitution stipulates that a Member of Parliament will lose his/her seat if absent for 90 consecutive days when parliament is in session.) Issues Being Considered this Session -------------- ¶4. (U) Parliament is set to discuss a number of issues during this session, which is scheduled to close on February 18, including: - a proposed amendment to the to the Vested Property (return) Act that would ease procedures for returning property seized after the 1965 India-Pakistan war, mainly from Hindus who migrated to India; - the government's decision to raise the mandatory retirement age of government employees who were Liberation War veterans; - legislation to drop the provision for the issuance of arrest warrants against journalists charged with defamation; and, - bills that would criminalize custodial torture, introduce a code of conduct for MPs, strengthen measures against domestic violence, and set labor standards for the country's export processing zones. DHAKA 00000063 002 OF 002 Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The opening session of Parliament offered no surprises, including the BNP's continued boycott. If the BNP does decide to return to Parliament, such a return would likely be only temporary. Many political observers in Bangladesh expect the BNP to test its muscle by attempting to mobilize street demonstrations in the next few months. We will continue to urge MPs and key government leaders to enhance human rights protections by adopting the considered bills on custodial torture, strengthening measures against domestic violence, implementing a MP code of conduct, and improving labor rights. MORIARTY