Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09DHAKA1014, BANGLADESH: DRAFT 2009-10 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09DHAKA1014.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09DHAKA1014 2009-11-03 09:46 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Dhaka
VZCZCXRO7047
PP RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKA #1014/01 3070946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030946Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9616
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0187
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 001014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/INSB, SCA/RA, AND INL FOR JLYLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINS SNAR IN BM BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH: DRAFT 2009-10 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS 
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT PART I, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL CONTROL 
 
REF: STATE 97228 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (U) There was no evidence that Bangladesh was a 
significant cultivator or producer of narcotics.  Government 
of Bangladesh (GOB) officials charged with controlling and 
preventing illegal substance trafficking lacked sufficient 
training, equipment, continuity of leadership, and other 
resources to detect and interdict the flow of drugs.  Law 
enforcement agencies continued to interdict narcotics, from 
the Golden Crescent in South Asia and the Golden Triangle in 
Southeast Asia, smuggled into Bangladesh along its porous 
land border with India and Burma and by fishing trawlers. 
Corruption hampers the country's drug interdiction efforts. 
Bangladesh is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. 
 
Status of Country 
----------------- 
 
2.  (U) The country's porous borders facilitated the illegal 
flow of narcotics from neighboring countries and made 
Bangladesh an attractive transfer point for drugs transiting 
the region.  Assessments conducted by several U.S. agencies 
in 2008 confirmed numerous land, sea and air border security 
vulnerabilities in Bangladesh that could be easily exploited 
by narcotics traffickers.  The Bangladesh Department of 
Narcotics Control (DNC) said it was unable to estimate the 
number of drug addicts in the country, but unofficial sources 
estimate between 100,000 and 1.7 million addicts, with 
20,000-25,000 injecting drug users and 45,000 heroin smokers. 
 These estimates indicate by the wide range of the 
approximation the lack of any real knowledge of the extent of 
drug abuse.  Other drugs used in Bangladesh were 
methamphetamines, marijuana, and the codeine-based cough 
syrup phensidyl.  Most of the "yaba" circulating in 
Bangladesh is smuggled from neighboring countries such as 
Burma. 
 
Country Actions against Drugs in 2009 
------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (U) Policy Initiatives.  Although government officials 
said in 2007 a new interagency monitoring group had been 
created, the Home Affairs Ministry said in October 2008 no 
such agency existed. 
 
4.  (U) Law Enforcement Efforts.  Law enforcement units 
engaged in operations to counter narcotics included the 
police, the DNC, the border defense forces known as the 
Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), customs, the navy, the coast guard, 
local magistrates and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an 
elite group that played a leading role in fighting terrorism, 
corruption and narcotics abuse.  Customs, the navy, the coast 
guard and the DNC all suffered from poor funding, inadequate 
equipment, understaffing and lack of training.  For example, 
the DNC budget for 2008-2009 was 184 million taka (about $2.6 
million), only slightly more than the actual expenditure for 
the previous fiscal year.  Its work force of about 940 people 
also was 337 positions short of the number approved by the 
government.  The DNC did not maintain a presence at the 
international airports in Chittagong and Sylhet and only two 
officials were posted at Dhaka airport.  DNC officers 
throughout the country were not authorized to carry weapons. 
Although RAB had become perhaps the highest-profile 
anti-narcotics force in the country, it did not have a 
special counter-narcotics section.  Its drug-fighting 
resources, which appeared stronger than other law-enforcement 
agencies, included a recently expanded canine corps of 51 
dogs. 
 
5.  (U) The smuggling, diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals 
originating from India is considered one of the single 
largest drug problems in Bangladesh.  The BDR seized 14.7 kg 
of heroin, 9,626.4 kg of marijuana, and 32,870 liters of 
phensidyl, a codeine-based, highly addictive cough syrup 
produced in India, from January through September 2009.  The 
DNC keeps tabs primarily on seizures by its own officers. 
Drugs seized by the department from January through September 
2009 (latest statistics) are as follows: 17.6 kg of heroin 
 
DHAKA 00001014  002 OF 003 
 
 
(compared to 29.0 kg in all of 2008 and 20.9 kg in 2007); 
1,540.154 kg of marijuana (compared to 2,302 kg in 2008 and 
1,768 kg in 2007); more than 46,187 bottles of phensidyl; 83 
ampoules of pethedine, an injectable opiate with medical 
application as an anesthetic; and 3,179 tablets of yaba 
tablets which consist of caffeine and methamphetamine. 
Meanwhile, RAB reported 516 drug related arrests as of 
September 2009. 
 
6.  (U) Corruption.  The drive against corruption launched by 
the Caretaker Government in January 2007 slowed following the 
December 2008 national elections.  The Awami League formed 
the Government following elections, replacing the Caretaker 
Government.  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) faced 
criticism from both ruling and opposition party leaders for 
what they described as "harassment" of politicians during the 
two years of the state of emergency.  The ACC saw a change of 
leadership and a government review committee recommended 
withdrawal of 875 cases, mostly involving Awami League 
leaders, as of October 2009.  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 
vowed to continue the campaign against corruption.  The GOB 
did not, as a matter of government policy, encourage or 
facilitate illicit production or distribution of drugs or 
controlled substances or launder proceeds from their 
transactions.  No senior official had been identified as 
engaging in, encouraging, or facilitating the production or 
distribution of drugs or controlled substances. 
 
7.  (U) Agreements and Treaties.  Bangladesh is a party to 
the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention as 
amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on 
Psychotropic Substances.  Bangladesh acceded to the UN 
Convention against Corruption in February 2007.  The GOB and 
USG signed a Letter of Agreement on Law Enforcement and 
Narcotics Control (LOA) in September 2002 under which the 
U.S. provides equipment and technical assistance to the DNC 
and its central chemical laboratory.  The LOA also provided 
for training, via the U.S. Department of Justice, to law 
enforcement personnel involved in counter-narcotics 
activities. 
 
8.  (U) Cultivation/Production.  The International Narcotics 
Control Board estimated small quantities of cannabis are 
cultivated in Bangladesh for local use.  The DNC acknowledged 
that some small amount of cannabis is cultivated in the hill 
tracts near Chittagong, in the southern silt islands, and in 
the northeastern region, claiming it is for local 
consumption.  The DNC also reported that as soon as knowledge 
of a cannabis crop reached its officers, that crop was 
destroyed in concert with law enforcement agencies.  The DNC 
said there were no significant crop destruction activities in 
the first 10 months of 2009. 
 
9.  (U) Drug Flow/Transit.  The most frequently used drug is 
heroin, thereafter, phensidyl (Codeine based cough syrup) 
illegally transit from India and the third highest is 
cannabis.  Bangladesh has borders with India on its three 
sides except the south, which stands on the Bay of Bengal. 
There were few media reports of major narcotics seizures in 
the first 10 months of 2009.  The International Narcotics 
Control Board in its 2007 report cited evidence that "heroin 
consignments destined for Europe are increasingly passing 
through Bangladesh."  It said heroin was smuggled into 
Bangladesh by courier from Pakistan, by commercial vehicle or 
trains from India, by truck or public transport from Burma 
and by sea via the Bay of Bengal.  The Chittagong seaport 
appeared to be the main exit point for narcotics leaving 
Bangladesh, the report added.  Bangladesh Navy officials said 
they suspected Bangladesh was a transit zone for heroin 
smuggled out of the Golden Crescent in South Asia and the 
Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia.  Smugglers used 
Bangladeshi, Burmese and Thai Fishing Trawlers for 
trafficking heroin into Bangladesh. 
 
10.  (U) Several recent U.S. government assessments confirmed 
vulnerabilities along Bangladesh's land, sea and air borders. 
 One report from the Department of Homeland Security 
described a chaotic situation at Benapole, the main land 
border crossing between India and Bangladesh, which could 
easily be exploited by narcotics traffickers.  The report 
said examination of luggage items was said to be cursory at 
 
DHAKA 00001014  003 OF 003 
 
 
best.  Opium-based pharmaceuticals and other drugs containing 
controlled substances are being smuggled into Bangladesh from 
India.  White (injectable) heroin comes in from Burma. 
 
11. (U) Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction.  Law enforcement 
officials believe that drug abuse, while previously a problem 
among the ultra-poor, is becoming a major problem among the 
wealthy and well-educated young.  The Department of Narcotics 
Control ran treatment centers in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, 
Khulna, Jessore and Comilla.  In the nine months through 
September 2008, 3,120 patents received treatment at the 
government facilities, the vast majority of them being male. 
A drug addicts' rehabilitation organization, APON, operates 
six long-term residential rehabilitation centers, including 
the first centers in Bangladesh for the rehabilitation of 
female addicts (opened in 2005 and a more permanent facility 
in 2009).  APON says it is the only organization that 
includes street children in its drug rehabilitation program. 
The International Narcotics Control Board in its 2007 report 
said prescription controls in Bangladesh were not adequately 
enforced at the retail level.  It said pharmaceutical 
preparations were stolen from both hospitals and pharmacies. 
 
U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
------------------------------------ 
 
12.  (U) Bilateral Cooperation.  The USG continued to support 
Bangladesh's counter-narcotics efforts.  The U.S. Embassy in 
Dhaka provided a grant of $52,000 to APON for a new 
rehabilitation center for female drug addicts, which opened 
in November 2009. 
 
13.  (U) The Road Ahead.  The USG will continue to provide 
law enforcement and forensic training for GOB officials, 
which the USG hopes will be useful to Bangladesh's 
counter-narcotics efforts.  New Delhi-based Drug Enforcement 
Administration officials visited Dhaka in November 2009 to 
liaise with Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies about future 
counter-narcotics cooperation. 
 
MORIARTY