REMARKS

Remarks by Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis at the Press Club

Dhaka

May 25, 2006

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, asalaamu aleikum, and good afternoon.  It is a pleasure for me to meet with you at the Press Club, the home and symbol of one of the most vibrant and active presses in the world.

World Press Freedom Day on May 3 was an occasion to celebrate the important role that you play in promoting freedom of speech, debate on important issues, and tolerance and respect for different viewpoints.  It was also a timely reminder of the difficulties journalists can face when they do their job in a fair and transparent manner to provide people with a wide range of information and opinions.  I know that journalists in Bangladesh have faced significant challenges, including threats and violence, so I congratulate you on continuing your work and even prospering, despite those circumstances. 

Of course, the press also plays a vital role during elections.  It is the duty of the press in any country to tell people what is happening and to support accountability and transparency in the political process.  As a friend of Bangladesh, we hope that your upcoming election will be free and fair, that government not seek to stack the deck in its favor and that the opposition use democratic means, not street violence and intimidation, to advance its political objectives.  Let me assure  you that the United States is strictly neutral regarding the parties.  We are not taking and will not take sides. We are committed to helping Bangladesh have a fair, credible election. We support the process, not any particular party.

I am happy to say that relations between the United States and Bangladesh are strong and getting stronger.  We view Bangladesh as a friend and partner in many important endeavors, from economic development to international peacekeeping to combating Asian Influenza.  The fight against terrorism is a top priority for both our countries, and we are supporting Bangladesh with training and technical assistance for your law enforcement personnel.  For the sake of Bangladesh’s political, economic, and social future, it is essential that all those responsible for extremist or political violence, both in current and past cases, be identified and brought to justice.  I believe the Bangladeshi media responded well to the challenge of covering Jamaatul Mujahidin Bangladesh’s campaign of terror, a complex and sensitive story that contained pitfalls as well as opportunities for journalistic excellence.  I would like to commend, for example, those newspapers that showed soon after the December 8 bomb attacks in Netrokona that one of the fatalities was in fact a poor victim and was not, as some people alleged, JMB’s first Hindu bomber.   

I am confident that during my time in Bangladesh, our two countries will have many opportunities to work together and strengthen our already strong ties.  The United States is the number-one buyer of Bangladeshi exports, which means that the U.S. is already a key partner in Bangladesh’s economic and social development. 

I also look forward to seeing with my own eyes every part of your beautiful country and to talking to people from all sectors of society.

Thank you.

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