Remarks

Face To Face Program

Bangladesh Center for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC)

February 03, 2005

Nayeemul Islam Khan, participants in BCDJC’s “Face to Face” Program, sham-man-nito otti-tee brindo, and, as-salaamu alaikum, namaskar and thank you for having me today.   It is great pleasure to be here, because I know that BCDJC has a strong record of supporting journalism-training programs and of collaborating with the Embassy on projects.  Some of you may have met Professors Joe Foote and Kristin Gilger who recently visited Bangladesh to organize a Women in Media Leadership Project together with BCDJC, which will send five participants to a workshop in Oklahoma this spring.

I had hoped to meet with you in December, so it’s good to finally be here.  I had been planning to talk with you about freedom of the press, but before I get to that I would like to say a few words about the tragic attack in Laskarpur last week.  As you know, Department of State Spokesman Richard Boucher strongly condemned the attack and offered condolences to the family and friends of the victims.  This incident was an assault on the principles of free speech and peaceful political opposition; the perpetrators clearly intended to undermine democracy in Bangladesh. They must not be allowed to succeed. 

Unfortunately, this incident was only the latest in a series of attacks on prominent leaders of the political opposition and civil society.  A list that includes the August 21^st attack, the May attack against the British High Commissioner, and – as you know better than I – a number of attacks on journalists.

Some of you might be thinking that I’ve been quite frank in my words today and might be wondering whether I’ve given up hope for Bangladesh.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The United States remains steadfast in its support for Bangladesh’s democracy, but sometimes friendship is best served by speaking straightforwardly.  Anyone who is troubled by what I have said today should be troubled by the incidents that I have mentioned not by my describing them. 

Some of you may remember that recently the New York Times Magazine had an article about Bangladesh titled “The Next Islamist Revolution?”  I remember hearing comments that the author, Eliza Griswold, was trying to defame Bangladesh’s reputation.  I’m not predicting a revolution, but it seems to me that almost everything that she reported in the New York Times Magazine had been reported by the local press here in Bangladesh.  What damages Bangladesh’s reputation are the incidents that she reported, not the fact that she reported them.  I’m not the New York Times’ fact checker, but if her critics disagree with the facts in her reporting they should focus on those disagreements. 

Let me conclude by once again urging the Bangladesh Government to move forward in its investigation of the January 27 attack and of other pending investigations, including the August 21 attack and the May 21 attack on the British High Commissioner, and to bring the perpetrators to justice in an expeditious and transparent manner.  I also urge all Bangladeshis to exercise maximum restraint and, even in these difficult circumstances, to pursue their political objectives and their search for justice in a peaceful and lawful manner. 

Thank you for your time.  I will now take any questions you might have.

    

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Note:  A Bangla translation of this article is also available from The American Center.  If you are interested in the translation, please call The American Center Press Section (Tel: 8813440-4, Fax: 9881677; e-mail: DhakaPA@state.gov; Website: dhaka.usembassy.gov).