Margaret P.

Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Message Text
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 DACCA 04860 040612Z 14 ACTION NEA-10 INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 USIA-06 /069 W --------------------- 122895 R 040515Z OCT 75 FM AMEMBASSY DACCA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8295 INFO AMEMBASSY COLOMBO AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI AMCONSUL CALCUTTA CINCPAC

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE DACCA 4860 CINCPAC FOR POLAD EO 11652: N/A TAGS: PINT, PGOV, PFOR, PFOR, BG, PK, IN SUBJ: MOSHTAQUE LOOKS TO ELECTIONS IN 1977 1. PRESIDENT MOSHTAQUE USED THE OCCASION OF LAILAT-UL-QADR (NIGHT ON WHICH HOLY QURAN REVEALED) TO REVEAL FAR MORE OF HIS OWN PLANS THAN HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE AUGUST 15. IN A SPEECH LAST EVENING (OCTOBER 3), THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THAT: A. THE BAN ON POLITICAL ACTIVITY WILL BE LIFTED AUGUST 15, 1976; B. NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD FEBRUARY 28, 1977, "FOR ELECTING A SOVEREIGN PARLIAMENT AND ESTABLISHING PARLIAMENTARY FORM OF GOVERNMENT"; C. PRISONERS HELD PURELY FOR POLITICAL REASONS WILL BE RELEASED (PRESS OCTOBER 4 REPORTS THAT ONE THOUSAND POLITICAL DETAINEES ALREADY RELEASED); LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 DACCA 04860 040612Z D. A HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE (THREE FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICES)

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

WILL REVIEW SPECIFIC CHARGES AGAINST POLITICAL LEADERS AND WORKERS; THOSE AGAINST WHOM ALLEGATIONS ARE UNFOUND OR DISPROVED WILL BE "HONORABLY RELEASED"; E. GOVERNMENT IS TAKING STEPS TO DIVEST ITSELF OF THE THREE NEWSPAPERS IT INHERITED BECAUSE GOVERNMENT CONTROL WAS INCOMPATIBLE WITH A FREE PRESS; F. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH PAKISTAN WAS IMMINENT. 2. MOSHTAQUE STRESSED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST FIFTY DAYS AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE PEOPLE, THE PARLIAMENT AND HIS GOVERNMENT TO THE RESTORATION OF FULL PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY. HE SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO TURNING OVER POWER TO A GOVERNMENT ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE. ALLUDING TO THE LOSS OF DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS UNDER THE PREVIOUS REGIME, MOSHTAQUE SAID THAT "MOST OF US FROM THE CONSCIOUS SECTIONS OF SOCIETY FAILED TO PLAY OUR ROLE PROPERLY" AND MUST ATONE FOR THIS "SELF DECEPTION BRED OUT OF OUR SELF COMPLACENCE." THE PEOPLE MUST NEVER AGAIN LET THEMSELVES BE DECEIVED BY THEIR ENEMIES. 3. IN FOREIGN AFFIARS, MOSHTAQUE CALLED ATTENTION TO THE RECOGNITIONS GRANTED BY CHINA AND SAUDI ABABIA. IN REAFFIRMING BANGLADESH'S NONALIGNED POLICY HE SAID THAT THE COUNTRY HAS "NO REASON TO MEDDLE IN INTERNATIONAL POWER POLITICS OR THE GLOBAL WAR STRATEGY"; ITS REAL PROBLEMS ARE INTERNAL. EARLY ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH PAKISTAN ARE NECESSARY, MOSHTAQUE SAID, FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS IN THE SUBCONTINENT AND THE ESTABLISHING OF DURABLE PEACE. IN HIS ONLY ALLUSIN TO INDIA, MOSHTAQUE SAID THAT BANGLADESH WOULD "ENDEAVOR TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE OUR GROWING RELATIONS WITH ALL COUNTRIES INCLUDING OUR NEIGHBORING STATE." 4. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND ENCOURAGING STATMENT THAT THE MOSHTAQUE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE TO DATE. BOSTER

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

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Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Message Attributes
Automatic Decaptioning: X Capture Date: 01 JAN 1994 Channel Indicators: n/a Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Concepts: NATIONAL ELECTIONS Control Number: n/a Copy: SINGLE Draft Date: 04 OCT 1975 Decaption Date: 01 JAN 1960 Decaption Note: Disposition Action: RELEASED Disposition Approved on Date: Disposition Authority: KelleyW0 Disposition Case Number: n/a Disposition Comment: 25 YEAR REVIEW Disposition Date: 28 MAY 2004 Disposition Event: Disposition History: n/a Disposition Reason: Disposition Remarks: Document Number: 1975DACCA04860 Document Source: CORE Document Unique ID: 00 Drafter: n/a Enclosure: n/a Executive Order: N/A Errors: N/A Film Number: D750345-0120 From: DACCA Handling Restrictions: n/a Image Path: ISecure: 1 Legacy Key: link1975/newtext/t19751082/aaaacvey.tel Line Count: 98 Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM Office: ACTION NEA Original Classification: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE Original Handling Restrictions: n/a Original Previous Classification: n/a Original Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a Page Count: 2 Previous Channel Indicators: n/a Previous Classification: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a Reference: n/a Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED Review Authority: KelleyW0 Review Comment: n/a Review Content Flags: Review Date: 24 JUN 2003 Review Event: Review Exemptions: n/a Review History: RELEASED <24 JUN 2003 by ShawDG>; APPROVED <13 NOV 2003 by KelleyW0>; APPROVED <13 NOV 2003 by KelleyW0> Review Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 Review Media Identifier: Review Referrals: n/a Review Release Date: n/a Review Release Event: n/a Review Transfer Date: Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a Secure: OPEN Status: NATIVE Subject: MOSHTAQUE LOOKS TO ELECTIONS IN 1977 TAGS: PINT, PGOV, PFOR, BG, PK, IN, (MUSHTAQUE AHMED, KHONDAKAR) To: STATE Type: TE Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006