This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
150908Z Dec 05
UNCLAS DHAKA 006150
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM
SUBJECT: TIP REVIEW MEETING WITH HOME SECRETARY
1. (SBU) USAID Mission Director George and PolOff met with
Secretary of Home Affairs Safar Raj Hossain and Additional
SIPDIS
Home Secretary Mohammed Mohsin Khan on December 4 to review
BDG anti-TIP performance..A representative from the police
Anti-Tip Monitoring Unit also attended.
2. (SBU) The participants reviewed the status of the BDG's
progress on anti-TIP prosecutions. The police anti-TIP unit
had selected 146 trafficking cases to monitor, and broke them
down into five phases, each with 20-36 cases. Prosecutors
chose to pursue their "best" cases first -- the ones for
which they had the most compelling evidence and testimony.
As they progressed through the latter phases, their rate of
convictions has plummeted. In the first phase, the
government won convictions in 15 of 19 cases brought to
trial. In the fifth phase, they have lost four of four
cases, although they are still investigating 26 cases. In
all, the government has won 63 cases, and lost 59 -- a
conviction rate of just over 51%.
3. (SBU) Asked what they saw as the causes of the declining
conviction rate, and some solutions for this problem, the
Bangladeshis replied that officers at the district and
national levels lack training and resources. There are also
problems with the judiciary, they said. Prosecutors are not
properly trained, the courts have not been cooperative in
scheduling continuous trials, and the huge volume of cases is
causing long delays.
4. (SBU) USAID MIssion Director George suggested developing
a National Plan of Action for combating TIP, and that AID
might be able to help sponsor a conference to develop such a
plan. The plan, he said, would involve reviewing best
practices from neighboring countries and include all relevant
ministries. He agreed to investigate the possibility of
arranging additional training for police units involved in
anti-trafficking. He urged the BDG to acquire additional
computers, and the appropriate software, to store and analyze
anti-trafficking data. Better data collection and analysis
would aid everyone in identifying where resources out to be
focused.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Charge will raise our concern over the
falling TIP conviction rate at a December 19 meeting with
Home Minister of State Babar.
CHAMMAS