WIKILEAKS EXPOSÉ: Bangladesh
Khaleda wanted a 'Feb 15' repeat
Sat, Sep 3rd, 2011 11:55 pm BdST
Dhaka, Sept 3 (bdnews24.com) — In the days of political uncertainty in early 2007, BNP chief Khaleda Zia was thinking of heading a short-term government through an election without the Awami League and some other parties, according to US diplomatic cables.
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who had boycotted the forestalled general elections on Jan 22 that year, did not agree with any such move, ambassador Patricia A Butenis told Washington in the wires leaked by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.
Khaleda's proposal was a throwback to the Feb 15, 1996 elections through which she was re-elected prime minister after running her 1991-96 term. Hasina's Awami League and several other parties had boycotted it.
Subsequent street agitation by the Awami League forced that government to bring the 13th Amendment to the constitution that introduced the caretaker government provision on Mar 21 that year.
Only two days before the Jan 11 changeover, Butenis in two cables had said that Khaleda was not ready to accept the possibility of an army coup or putting the two top leaders into political exile.
Hasina largely dismissed the reports and even joked that exile in the United States would allow her to see her granddaughter.
Butenis and former British high commissioner in Dhaka Anwar Choudhury met Hasina on Jan 6 and Khaleda the next day during the political impasse.
The deadlock surfaced after the BNP had refused to call off the Jan 22 polls, Awami League decided to stay away from the elections and then president Iajuddin Ahmed, picked by the BNP, had thrust himself to the office of the chief advisor to the caretaker government that was to oversee the national vote.
The cable says the envoys had suggested the arch-rivals a way towards political understanding by warning of a possible military intervention.
The diplomats had said they were carrying proposals for an understanding "on request from quarters of the parties" and that their countries would not advocate or provoke any anti-constitutional move.
They also said that the political standoff in the country could be resolved only if the two leaders took bold steps, and through political understanding, violence and a possible military coup could also be averted.
KHALEDA WARY OF US, UK
Khaleda had bristled at suggestions that the military would take any action against her, and accused the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as prominent members of civil society, of supporting and encouraging such speculation.
Both the envoys had, however, denied such involvement, the cable added.
Khaleda claimed she was always ready to talk to the Awami League, "but they do not want to talk to us".
The two-time prime minister argued that she always wanted the Awami League to participate in the elections, but it was now too late, holding to the BNP position that elections must take place as scheduled on Jan 22 to satisfy constitutional requirements.
"Once elected, the BNP would implement election reforms, including the Awami League's demands for voter ID cards, and would call for new elections within 12-15 months," she said.
Khaleda acknowledged that many might not recognise the Jan 22 elections as credible, but said the government would be legitimate and as per the constitution.
The ambassador asked whether BNP would be able to govern and maintain law and order under this scenario, when nearly half the voters would believe they had been denied an opportunity to participate in a fair election.
In reply, "[Khaleda] Zia scoffed at the idea that the Awami League might command support among even 40 percent of the population and does not believe they could sustain civil agitation," Butenis had said.
The envoys in their remarks in the cable wrote: "We have been told that the BNP was taken aback by the negative reaction of the US and other countries to their one-sided election plan. Khaleda has reversed herself before on key points.
"The critical element may be assurance to the BNP that the Awami League, this time, has a genuine bottom line and will be held to it."
HASINA PREFERRED ARMY THAN BNP
The previous day, the envoys had spoken to Hasina and had proposed an understanding. "She largely dismissed the reports and even joked that exile in the United States would allow her to see her granddaughter."
"Hasina expressed little concern over her personal security. She was not troubled by military involvement, either directly or under a state of emergency. If the military can intervene and make things okay, that would be good, she said," according to the cable.
Butenis then queried Hasina why she thought the military would be willing to return power to the very politicians who created the need for military intervention in the first place.
Hasina said she did not envision martial law, as no officer was strong enough to lead a coup.
"Moreover, she was confident the people would not allow the military to retain power longer than necessary to resolve the political crisis. There would be violence, bloodshed; the country could collapse, if the military refused to step down," she stressed.
Hasina further argued that the political impasse was the direct result of an orchestrated BNP plan, implemented with the collusion of the chief advisor, to create conditions to force the Awami League and its partners in the grand alliance to boycott the election.
"The BNP does not want us to participate because we will win," she declared with confidence, and complained that president and chief advisor Iajuddin Ahmed did not listen to his advisors or the international community, but simply followed BNP instructions.
"The president," she said, "just wants to hold elections and hand over power to [Khaleda] Zia, leaving the Awami League and its alliance partners with no alternative but to boycott a 'rigged' election," said the cable.
Asked how she would respond if Khaleda reached out to her to find a solution, Hasina said she would reject any such approaches.
The two envoys had described a possible scenario suggested by some in the BNP, under which elections would be called within 12 months. "Hasina dismissed the proposal out-of-hand, saying she would support a solution involving the military than one that returned the BNP to power," the cable added.
bdnews24.com/jk/pks/bd/nir/2346h
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who had boycotted the forestalled general elections on Jan 22 that year, did not agree with any such move, ambassador Patricia A Butenis told Washington in the wires leaked by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.
Khaleda's proposal was a throwback to the Feb 15, 1996 elections through which she was re-elected prime minister after running her 1991-96 term. Hasina's Awami League and several other parties had boycotted it.
Subsequent street agitation by the Awami League forced that government to bring the 13th Amendment to the constitution that introduced the caretaker government provision on Mar 21 that year.
Only two days before the Jan 11 changeover, Butenis in two cables had said that Khaleda was not ready to accept the possibility of an army coup or putting the two top leaders into political exile.
Hasina largely dismissed the reports and even joked that exile in the United States would allow her to see her granddaughter.
Butenis and former British high commissioner in Dhaka Anwar Choudhury met Hasina on Jan 6 and Khaleda the next day during the political impasse.
The deadlock surfaced after the BNP had refused to call off the Jan 22 polls, Awami League decided to stay away from the elections and then president Iajuddin Ahmed, picked by the BNP, had thrust himself to the office of the chief advisor to the caretaker government that was to oversee the national vote.
The cable says the envoys had suggested the arch-rivals a way towards political understanding by warning of a possible military intervention.
The diplomats had said they were carrying proposals for an understanding "on request from quarters of the parties" and that their countries would not advocate or provoke any anti-constitutional move.
They also said that the political standoff in the country could be resolved only if the two leaders took bold steps, and through political understanding, violence and a possible military coup could also be averted.
KHALEDA WARY OF US, UK
Khaleda had bristled at suggestions that the military would take any action against her, and accused the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as prominent members of civil society, of supporting and encouraging such speculation.
Both the envoys had, however, denied such involvement, the cable added.
Khaleda claimed she was always ready to talk to the Awami League, "but they do not want to talk to us".
The two-time prime minister argued that she always wanted the Awami League to participate in the elections, but it was now too late, holding to the BNP position that elections must take place as scheduled on Jan 22 to satisfy constitutional requirements.
"Once elected, the BNP would implement election reforms, including the Awami League's demands for voter ID cards, and would call for new elections within 12-15 months," she said.
Khaleda acknowledged that many might not recognise the Jan 22 elections as credible, but said the government would be legitimate and as per the constitution.
The ambassador asked whether BNP would be able to govern and maintain law and order under this scenario, when nearly half the voters would believe they had been denied an opportunity to participate in a fair election.
In reply, "[Khaleda] Zia scoffed at the idea that the Awami League might command support among even 40 percent of the population and does not believe they could sustain civil agitation," Butenis had said.
The envoys in their remarks in the cable wrote: "We have been told that the BNP was taken aback by the negative reaction of the US and other countries to their one-sided election plan. Khaleda has reversed herself before on key points.
"The critical element may be assurance to the BNP that the Awami League, this time, has a genuine bottom line and will be held to it."
HASINA PREFERRED ARMY THAN BNP
The previous day, the envoys had spoken to Hasina and had proposed an understanding. "She largely dismissed the reports and even joked that exile in the United States would allow her to see her granddaughter."
"Hasina expressed little concern over her personal security. She was not troubled by military involvement, either directly or under a state of emergency. If the military can intervene and make things okay, that would be good, she said," according to the cable.
Butenis then queried Hasina why she thought the military would be willing to return power to the very politicians who created the need for military intervention in the first place.
Hasina said she did not envision martial law, as no officer was strong enough to lead a coup.
"Moreover, she was confident the people would not allow the military to retain power longer than necessary to resolve the political crisis. There would be violence, bloodshed; the country could collapse, if the military refused to step down," she stressed.
Hasina further argued that the political impasse was the direct result of an orchestrated BNP plan, implemented with the collusion of the chief advisor, to create conditions to force the Awami League and its partners in the grand alliance to boycott the election.
"The BNP does not want us to participate because we will win," she declared with confidence, and complained that president and chief advisor Iajuddin Ahmed did not listen to his advisors or the international community, but simply followed BNP instructions.
"The president," she said, "just wants to hold elections and hand over power to [Khaleda] Zia, leaving the Awami League and its alliance partners with no alternative but to boycott a 'rigged' election," said the cable.
Asked how she would respond if Khaleda reached out to her to find a solution, Hasina said she would reject any such approaches.
The two envoys had described a possible scenario suggested by some in the BNP, under which elections would be called within 12 months. "Hasina dismissed the proposal out-of-hand, saying she would support a solution involving the military than one that returned the BNP to power," the cable added.
bdnews24.com/jk/pks/bd/nir/2346h
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