Bangladeshi link to most Kuwait crimes unfounded: Gen Moeen
Arab Times
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=17196&ccid=9
KUWAIT CITY : The allegation that Bangladeshis are behind most of the crimes in Kuwait is unfounded and based on rumors fueled by jealousy, says General Moeen U Ahmed, NDC, PSC, Chief of Staff, Bangladesh Army. General Moeen is on a 5-day visit to Kuwait ending Tuesday upon an invitation from Kuwait's Chief of Army Staff General Fahad. He was speaking in an exclusive interview to the Arab Times Monday at Courtyard Marriot Hotel. When asked about the statement of a Kuwaiti MP calling for expulsion of Bangladeshis from Kuwait blaming them for the increasing crime rate in the state, the general said the bilateral ties between the two countries are very strong, and that biased viewpoints not backed by statistical facts should not be allowed to mar international relations.
He said in every community there are good and bad people, "and based on the actions of a minority fringe group, generalization should not be drawn." It has been brought to his notice that in Saudi Arabia some criminals belonging to another nationality identified themselves as Bangladeshis "to save the image of their country." Bangladeshi expatriates in the Middle East have risen to enviable stations in life very fast and have drawn the envy of others, which is one reason why there is a slur campaign going on against them, General Moeen added.
The general brushed aside accusations that criminals from Bangladesh are taking asylum in the Middle East using fake passports. "As long as accusations are not backed by studied facts, they carry no weight."
Speaking about Bangladesh's relations with Kuwait, General Moeen said Bangladesh was the first country to condemn the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. "We joined the coalition forces sending two infantry divisions to free Kuwait.
"The two engineering teams we sent to Kuwait stayed for more than a year helping out with reconstruction work. The Bangladeshi commander involved in the operation was awarded the highest military award by Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh was actively involved in the reconstruction efforts and its precision in clearing mines was exemplary. After a child was struck by a mine in a bloc supposedly de-mined by another army, Bangladesh was pressed into service and three truckloads of mines were cleared, the general remembered.
Involved
The general then dwelled upon the army's role in Bangladesh politics. He said the army is not in any way involved in governance. Army is only backing the caretaker government in running the state until a free and fair election is held later this year.
Currently the army is involved in a large-scale project of issuing biometric identity cards to all the 80 million voters in the country. "About 80 percent of the job is done, and the cards will be in place by June.
"The technology for this project is wholly indigenous. We have got monetary help from UNDP. Bangladesh has a 100 percent computer-literate army.
"We were able to achieve this mammoth feat because our army has carried out similar missions in other countries as part of the UN contingent."
The biometric cards, the general noted, will also help in curtailing criminals slipping out of Bangladesh on fake passports, "and can effectively seal rumors of loose emigration laws permitting criminals to take refuge in foreign countries. About the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, General Moeen said "We are doing everything to make sure that free-and-fair elections will be held on a level playing field."
When asked about Awami League and Bangladesh National Party, two of the country's biggest political party, threatening to boycott elections taking issue at the arrests of their leaders, the general emphasized the election will take place as per schedule irrespective of who runs in it. He rued the corruption "that has infected the political system of Bangladesh. Leaders should be people who put the nation's interest above personal interests."
However, he has not lost faith in his country's democratic traditions. He said the army could have imposed martial law when the political situation deteriorated in the country at the beginning of this year, "but we decided to play an assisting role to the civilian caretaker government."
Bangladesh Embassy's Defense Attache Brigadier General HRM Rokan Uddin, PSC, and Arab Times representative Mohammed Sirajul Islam were also present during the interview.
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