Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–7, Documents on South Asia, 1969–1972

435. Telegram 5547 From the Embassy in Bangladesh to the Department of State¹ ²

Dacca, December 27, 1972, 1034Z

Subj:

• Destruction of USIS Centers in Bangladesh

Ref:

• State 232100

1. My early morning request for urgent call on FonMin Samad was met by appointment for 1330 this afternoon. Alam (new DG for east, Pacific and Americans) and Sobhan were also present.

2. I told FonMin I had learned of Rajshahi event only by reading morning newspapers and wondered why BDG had not shared police reports with Embassy. Samad averred that he too had learned only from press and that he had immediately asked Home Minister for report (which is still presumably not prepared).

3. I then expressed, on instructions, USG’s “serious concern” over developments cited para 2 reftel. FonMin then acknowledged seriousness of these developments. He let me know by various circumlocutions that he was having trouble getting PriMin Mujib to focus on problem and/or make the urgent decisions that situation calls for. Samad also indicated that he was now recruiting Home Minister in joint effort to prevail on Mujib to do the necessary.

4. I informed FonMin that we had now closed all four USIS centers to public for “end-of-year inventory”. This transparent euphemism was not meant to suggest that we contemplated reopening next week. Rather, I told Samad, we would look to BDG advice as to when moment arrives for US prudently to reopen centers. Samad nodded assent. When I repeated this point at end of interview, Samad indicated to Alam that he was expected to stay in touch with Embassy in this regard.

5. Remainder of interview was devoted to Samad’s account of his encounter with hostile NAP (Musaffar) student group in Sylhet yesterday. Samad, if he was quoting himself accurately, did a masterful job of wrangling with students, developing astute rationale for a non-aligned, socialist government’s accepting aid from US. (If only he could make such a speech to public at large.). I chose the moment to remind Samad that USG in providing assistance to BD did so in full recognition of necessity for Bangladesh to adhere to truly non-aligned posture and of its commitments to “nationalism, socialism, secularism, and democracy.”

6. Samad then alluded to my December 26 conversation. With FonSec Karim about FY 73 aid grant and indicated he was fully conscious of importance of favorable public climate in US and with Congress.

7. Samad did not raise subject of Vietnam.

8. My general impression from interview is that Samad has good intellectual grasp of situation, that he is earnestly trying to accomplish his stated objectives. Up to now his is a lonely struggle within the Byzantine councils of Awami League. I of course do not rule out possibility that Logothete Samad’s account of his efforts is disingenuous.

9. Action requested: Department and USIA endorsement my interpretation that reopening of USIS centers in Bangladesh depends on decision of BDG while we remain ready to do so as soon as BDG advises us step will be prudent, BDG thereby implicitly telling us it is equipped to carry out its avowed responsibility to protect USG personnel and property.

Newberry

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 23–8 BANGLADESH. Limited Official Use; Immediate. Repeated to Islamabad, Calcutta, New Delhi, and USIA. On December 11 the Embassy reported that a group of young men had defaced the USIS center in Dacca with anti-American slogans and Communist Party insignia. On December 22 a group of over 100 students, protesting the U.S. bombing of North Vietnam, attacked the USIS center in Dacca and did serious damage. On December 26 the Embassy reported that a group of leftist youths had virtually destroyed the USIS center in Chittagong, and the following day reported that the same thing had happened in Rajshahi. On December 26 the Department instructed the Embassy to convey “serious concern of USG over spate of destructive attacks against U.S. facilities” and U.S. “distress over the inadequate police protection afforded.” (Telegrams 5310, 5512, 5533, and 5544, December 11, 23, 26, and 27 respectively, all from Dacca; telegram 232100 to Dacca, December 26; all ibid.)
2. Chargé Newberry met with Foreign Minister Samad to express “serious concern” over a spate of attacks on USIS centers in Bangladesh and to ask for assurances that U.S. facilities in the country would be protected.