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Published on January 28, 2022
Patriotism is the motto of politics. The politics where there is no patriotism are fake. The desire for power cannot bring the support and love of the people. The anti-state quarters BNP-Jamaat is leaving no stone unturned to create chaos in the country ahead of the general elections.
BNP-Jamaat has appointed six lobbying firms so that the United States speak against Bangladesh. BNP lobbyists have given such false information that goes directly against the country’s interests. If the countrymen know it, they will castigate hate them. The Bangladesh government has evidence of BNP’s involvement in various malpractices, including sanctions on the RAB and its plea to the UN for not taking Bangladeshis into peacekeeping missions.
Khaleda Zia’s Call to the USA for Cancel Bangladesh's GSP facility:
In an article in the Washington Times on January 30, 2013, Khaleda Zia wrote an article titled ‘The thankless role in saving democracy in Bangladesh’, urging the United States and its allies to impose sanctions on Bangladesh, including the abolition of Bangladesh's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) facilities.
Khaleda Zia wrote: “They [the USA and its allies] also must explain to Ms Hasina that general preferences for trade will be withdrawn if those who support workers’ rights and have political views opposed to those of the prime minister are not now allowed to express their beliefs.” Even Khaleda Zia's article suggests that the cancellation of funding by the World Bank for the Padma Bridge in Bangladesh was a matter of comfort for her.
Khaleda Zia writes that their (US and Western) steps must be strong and visible so that our people can see and hear them. This is how the United States can ensure that its mission to democratize the world continues, she adds. Now is the right time for the United States and the world to do something to protect Bangladesh's democracy.
It is clear from her article that the BNP and its leader Khaleda Zia was directly involved in the USA’s withdrawal of the GSP facility in Bangladesh’s garment industry through lobbyists.
What happened to the BNP-Jamaat group with the lobbying firms?
The BNP had sent a letter two years ago to stop US aid to Bangladesh. The party even deployed a lobbyist firm to pressurize the foreign minister about the 11th general election during his visit to Washington. This information came based on an analysis of the letters between the BNP and lobbyist firm Blue Star Strategy during the 2018 election.
● In 2015, BNP lobbyist firm Akin Gump carried out propaganda against Bangladesh. The registration number of the company is 3492. The BNP hired British lawyer Toby Cadman to work with Akin Gump. Their aim is to interfere in the Bangladesh general elections and to halt the trial of war criminals.
According to the letter, Akin Gump was offered a monthly remuneration of USD 40,000 to USD 100,000 (depending on the scope of work). The BNP paid USD 120,000 before starting the task, which was scheduled to be expired by 2017. However, the BNP-Jamaat hired firms could not succeed in anything due to the strict stance of the Bangladesh government during that period.
● In 2018, BNP hired two lobbyist firms together. At that time, BNP provided false information against Bangladesh in FARA twice. One of the two lobbyist firms was Rasky Partners of Boston (Registration No. 6586) and the other is Blue Star Strategies of Washington (Registration No. 6587).
This time BNP, however, signed contact not as a party but through a person named Abdus Sattar. The agreement states that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) provided all documents to Blue Star Strategies and Rasky Partners. The deal was signed for a total of USD 50,000 as the monthly payment.
Their main task was to deal with various issues raised by the client (BNP), arranging major US media for publishing materials according to their demand and building good relations with the various media so they can manage to publish articles according to their agenda.
● In 2019, there were plenty of letters signed by BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir containing various rumours and propaganda about Bangladesh. Mirza Fakhrul wrote letters to everywhere he could – from the State Department to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senate Subcommittee, Foreign Operations, Senate Committee, House Committee, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Eastern Senate Subcommittee, South Asia-Central Asia and Counterterrorism Committee, Asia Affairs subcommittee and others. All the letters were written on the BNP's party pad and the address was the party's Nayapaltan office.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir wrote to five people including the Chairman and members of the US Senate Committee and House Committee on April 17, 2019, three and a half months after the 11th parliamentary elections.
Jamaat-e-Islami too Appoints Lobbyists:
A total of four documents available proved Jamaat’s finance for the lobbyist firms. The registration numbers were 6218 and 6219 in 2014, 6272 in 2015, 6336 in 2016 and 6517 in 2018.
BNP’s lobbying network:
The BNP works with US-based lobbyist firms Akin Company Associates, Blue Star Strategies and Rasky Partners.
The BNP has paid USD 3.75 million to a lobbyist firm for anti-government propaganda in the United States.
Transactions were made with more than 12 lobbyist firms using the BNP office address at Purana Paltan.
The Bangladesh government managed to obtain eight contact papers so far – three of these are of BNP’s and the rest belongs to Jamaat.
BNP's Agenda in Lobbying Politics:
Double Standard of Mirza Fakhrul regarding Recruitment of Lobbyist:
On January 25, 2022, while responding to reporters’ queries, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir talked about appointing a lobbyist in name of protecting the country and democracy. He said the BNP has hired lobbyists to protect the country and to protect democracy. While just after five minutes, Mirza Fakhrul appeared in front of the media again to explain his remarks regarding the appointment of lobbyist. But then he backtracked from his previous statement.
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