By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 5, 2012 at 7:38 AM ET
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
is in Bangladesh to press tolerance, democracy and development in one of
the world's most impoverished nations that is now in the throes
political turmoil.
Clinton arrived Saturday in the capital of Dhaka, which has been
increasingly tense in recent weeks with general strikes protesting the
disappearance of an opposition leader and a crackdown on dissent.
Homemade bombs have exploded around the city as the strikes have
paralyzed the country, prompting the police to arrest dozens of
opposition activists.
However, Clinton's visit — the first by a secretary of state to the
country since 2003 — is expected to bring a brief respite as the
opposition has suspended protests for the occasion in a goodwill gesture
that reflects the importance Bangladeshis place on relations with the
United States, one of their largest trading partners.
In talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, opposition leader Khaleda
Zia and civic leaders, Clinton will stress the importance of inclusive
democracy and unity to improve living conditions in the country of 160
million that the U.S. sees as a potentially important voice for
moderation among Muslim majority nations.
American officials say the trip is aimed at taking U.S.-Bangladesh ties
to a new level by creating a strategic dialogue and encouraging further
cooperation on counterterrorism, health, environmental and educational
issues. They believe Bangladeshis will be pleased with the message.
But dozens of students paraded through the campus of Dhaka University on
Saturday to protest Clinton's visit, saying the U.S. cannot be a friend
of Bangladesh and chanting, "Go, go Hillary."
At least 22 people, mostly politicians, have disappeared this year,
according to a local human-rights group, Ain-o-Salish Kendra. Another
Dhaka-based group, Odhikar, says more than 50 people have disappeared
since 2010. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch blamed security
agencies for the disappearances.
The anger over what the opposition says is political repression erupted
into the streets after an opposition party leader, Elias Ali, went
missing along with his driver April 17 from a street in Dhaka. His car
was found later abandoned.
The opposition blamed the government and launched five days of general
strikes over the past two weeks in protest. The government accused the
opposition of hiding Ali to give it an excuse to create anarchy in the
streets. He has still not been found.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said Bangladesh will press the U.S. to
eliminate its 15.3 percent tariff on Bangladesh's vital garment
industry. Bangladesh exported $5.1 billion worth of goods — mainly
garments — to the U.S. last year and imported $676 million worth in
return.
Bangladeshi officials believe that dropping the duty will send exports soaring even further and boost the economy.
The countries are also expected to discuss an investment and trade
framework agreement that would protect the huge investments of U.S.
energy giants like Chevron and ConocoPhillips.
Chevron, one of the biggest foreign investors here, supplies half
Bangladesh's natural gas needs, while ConocoPhillips is exploring for
gas in the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal.
In Dhaka, Clinton is also expected to raise the issue of Nobel Peace
Laureate Muhammad Yunus' ouster from his Grameen Bank, which pioneered
providing small loans to the poor. Clinton plans to meet the 71-year-old
Yunus, a family friend, who the government forced out last year, saying
he was well past the retirement age of 60.
Yunus' allies said the ouster was political and pointed to Hasina's
anger at his 2007 effort to form a political party backed by the
powerful army when the country was under a state of emergency and Hasina
herself was behind bars.
Bangladesh is also seeking the repatriation of Rashed Chowdhury, who is
facing a death sentence for his role in the 1975 assassination of
independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina's father, during a
military coup. The government says he lives in the United States, and
the two nations have no extradition treaty. copy:http://www.nytimes.com
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