·
CONFIDENTIAL
Bangladesh
32. Although on the surface all was quiet after the elections, it seemed to me that the political situation in Dacca was, in fact, quite fluid. A day or so before I arrived, General Ershad had issued his statement that the Army should be given due consideration in the formulation of the government's policies. Many people took this as a warning of future military action if the politicians again failed to solve the country's problems. [The subsequent offer by Sattar to form a National Security Council with military participation was obviously an attempt to take the sting out of this situation for the time being.]
33.
The other area of controversy concerned the appointment of Dr Mirza Nurul Huda, a technocrat and former Finance Minister, as Vice-President. He was the personal choice of President Sattar and, while most people had nothing against him on the score of ability, honesty or personality, BNP members felt that this should have been a Party appointment. It was widely thought that as a quid pro quo, Sattar had had to agree to re-appoint most of the members of the old Zia cabinet.
34.
Members of the MFA to whom I spoke were pre-occupied with Bangladesh-Indian relations, in particular the problem of the enclaves. Further negotiations were envisaged on this question and also on South Talpatty Island but the Bangladeshis seemed optimistic that solutions would be found. On the Ganges waters situation, however, they saw no easy solution. As for the South Asian Cooperation Forum, they thought it still very much in embryo.
India
35. The visitor to Delhi is immediately made aware, in conversation with officials and politicians, of the overwhelming power of Mrs Gandhi. Nothing of any moment is decided or carried out except with her assent. According to Mr Shahabuddin, a Janata MP and a leading member of the opposition, she rarely deigns to attend Parliament (comparing very unfavourably in this respect with her father). said that in 1982 after the Congress I had achieved a two-thirds
He
CONFIDENTIAL
/majority
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.