Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina center, U.S. Secretary of

State Hillary Clinton and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni,

after a signing ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 6.

 

 

Hillary Clinton Weighs in on Bangladesh Political Crisis; Missing Opposition Leader (bdnews 24, Bangladesh)

 

“It is important that in this country ... everybody takes seriously any disappearance, any violence against activists, any oppression of civil society, any intimidation of the press…that is just what is required in the 21st century if democracy [is to be] sustainable.”

 

-- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

 

May 6, 2012

 

Bangladesh - bdnews 24 – Original Language (English)

In an emotional moment during Secretary Clinton's visit to Bangladesh, Saiara Nawal, the eight-year-old daughter of senior opposition party leader M. Ilias Ali, handed Clinton a letter on how she feels about her father's dissapearance.   AL-JAZEERA VIDEO: Bangladesh political factions call a truce during Hillary Clinton's visit, May 5, 00:02:28

Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] Chairwoman Khaleda Zia has told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that holding free, fair and credible elections is the key demand of Bangladesh's people. The visiting American dignitary paid a courtesy call to the opposition leader on Saturday.

 

Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told journalists that during their hour-long meeting, Khaleda also spoke of the government’s “political repression” and the mysterious disappearance of one of its organizing secretaries, M. Ilias Ali.

 

Ali's eight-year-old daughter, Saiara Nawal, accompanied Khaleda during Clinton's courtesy call at the chairwoman’s Gulshan home, just hours after Clinton arrived in Dhaka for a 24-hour visit. It is Clinton’s first trip to Bangladesh as secretary of state. During the meeting, the missing secretary’s daughter Saiara gave Clinton a letter she had written about her father.

 

[Editor’s Note: These are the contents of the letter of M Ilias Ali’s daughter, Saiara Nawal, to Secretary Clinton:

 

Dear Mrs. Hillary Clinton

 

Congratulations for visiting Bangladesh. I like to draw your kind attention that my daddy Mr. M. Ilias Ali, ex-parliament member, is a patriotic political leader & organizing secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). On 17 April, 2012, he was kidnapped at around midnight by some unknown thugs. No one is able to give my daddy back to me. It has been too long since he last kissed me. Every day, before going to school, he used to kiss me but now there is none. I feel very sad and lonely. My world is empty without my dad. I know you love the people of Bangladesh very much. You are also a mother. I want to hug and kiss him again. I firmly believe that if Govt. is interested, then my dad will soon come back to me.

 

So, please raise the issue to the Govt. of Bangladesh & help them to get my dad. Wish you brilliant success.

 

Best regards,

 

Saiara Nawal, Daughter of M. Ilias Ali]

 

Days of protest last month over Ali's disappearance caused at least five deaths.

 

Vice Chairman Chowdhury said that Khaleda told Clinton that the people of Bangladesh have only one demand - a free, fair and impartial election.

 

Posted by Worldmeets.US

Activists of the Bangladesh Communist Party protest the visit of U.S.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Dhaka, May 4. The non-English sign

on the left reads 'Crush U.S. Imperialism,' and on the right, 'Child Killer,

Anti-Humanitarian. We condemn U.S. Imperialism.'

 

 

 

 

He said they also are concerned about the current political situation of Bangladesh, U.S.-Bangladesh trade, empowering women, the textile industry, fuel and energy.

 

"She (Clinton) told Khaleda that during her meeting with the prime minister and foreign minister, she expressed her concern about M. Ilias Ali’s disappearance," Chowdhury said.

 

"She also told Khaleda that the United States wants to see free and fair polls with the participation of all parties. Clinton said than an all-party discussion either within or without the parliament could be held to find a way to hold a participatory election," Chowdhury added.

 

When Khaleda told her that BNP leaders, like Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, could not attend such a meeting due to the frequent violence that breaks out during protests, Hillary remarked that such incidents were” sad,” Chowdhury said.

 

[Editor’s Note: During an earlier press conference with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Clinton was quoted by the Bangladesh Daily Star to have said the following:

 

"It is important that in this country ... everybody takes seriously any disappearance, any violence against activists, any oppression of civil society, any intimidation of the press…that is just what is required in the 21st century if democracy [is to be] sustainable."

 

She said Foreign Minister Dipu Moni assured that the government is probing all these incidents.

 

“Any violence, disappearance or repression on civil society and the press is contrary to democracy and rule of law.”

 

She said weeks of strikes and protests that paralysed the country and killed at least five people had undermined development and scared off foreign investors.

 

"Violent demonstrations exact a heavy toll, especially on Bangladesh's poorest and most vulnerable citizens. They also send a negative signal to the international community about the investment climate here."

 

She, however, said, “We support democracy, freedom of expression, the right to peaceful assembly…We urge all to settle their differences through dialogue. We want democracy to sustain in Bangladesh.”]

 

The U.S. secretary also hoped that the situation would soon change for the better.

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