Lobbyists for a facelift?

The alliance government has appointed image enhancing lobbyists firms for a monthly retainer of at least $45,000 for "balanced reporting on Bangladesh" to build a "positive and correct image" among the US policymakers. The contract was signed at a time when some high profile lobbyists are indicted for corruptions and US lawmakers are passing legislations and distancing themselves from the much-disparaged lobbyists. For example, on August 4, 2005, two Israeli lobbyists were indicted by a US federal grand jury amid a probe into the release of classified Pentagon documents. On January 3, 2006, top Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy, tax and fraud charges.

Morshed Khan has defended the hiring of lobbyists by echoing "Her Majesty's" patented rhetoric that some political leaders have launched false campaigns abroad against "our beloved country" and tried to brand Bangladesh as a fundamentalist state. The lobbyists have drawn up a long list of carte du jour and the more flamboyant ones include (reproduced from the April 10 issue of The Daily Star to direct readers focus on my skepticisms presented in parenthesis following each item):

-- Dispelling misconceptions about alleged human rights abuses, corrupt government practices and Islamist militancy. (How would the lobbyists refute crossfire killings, country's consecutive number one corrupt ranking, countrywide terrorists bombing spree and the swelling growth of madrasas?)

-- Supporting the government in establishing and maintaining the "closest possible" relations with the White House and the Congress. (Does it mean Dhaka will soon close down its embassy in Washington DC? How many such close contacts have so far been consummated?)

-- Placement of positive news and features in newspapers, magazines, national journals and arrangement for the Bangladesh ambassador to appear on national television news shows. (Since signing the contract 6 months ago nothing worthy of "positive news" sparked off yet in any national media. Probably because good news is hard to find.)

-- Taking initiatives so that the interests and objectives of Bangladesh are communicated to and understood by the President and his advisors on an ongoing basis. (Are they proposing for on-going coaching classes for George Bush and his advisors? May I apply for such a coaching position, of course free of charge?)

-- Making arrangements for an early state visit for Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to the US with comprehensive public relations support for the visit. (Isn't it a bluff? Such state visits are initiated by the US embassy concerned. What if Khaleda is not around the PMO next time around, and serving time behind bars for alleged corruptions?)

-- Having the PM address a Joint Session of the Congress, followed by her major address at the National Press Club in Washington, (That is a million dollar cheap shot; a $45,000 monthly retainer will not buy that. Besides, just because some terrorist kingpins were rounded up do not qualify her to give an address to the joint session of the US Congress. What would she say other than "AL is responsible for terrorism and conspiring against the country.")

-- Convincing the President to add Bangladesh to his itinerary during his visit to India and Pakistan in March this year. (Call the President by phone? George Bush probably declined the invitation of a tea break in Dhaka to say Hi to Khaleda? Lobbyists do not initiate such visits; they are initiated by the respective embassies.)

-- Working for increased US aid including funds from the Millennium Challenge Account. (MCA funds are tightly controlled under strict criterion. World's most corrupt government, allied with religious extremists does not qualify for such funds.)

-- Working for debt relief; supporting Bangladesh's dealings with the World Bank, IMF and the UN. (How much additional funds did Bangladesh receive since hiring lobbyists? How did the country deal with these institutions before?)

-- Establishing free trade arrangement with US; arranging for senior level military to military exchanges for joint opportunities. (Really, a joint military training negotiated by the lobbyists? This is bluntly stupid, absurd and unheard of.)

-- Working for opening doors of executives of major US corporations to interest them in projects of importance to the government. (In last six months, no doors have so far been opened.)

It is much easier and faster to repair a political party's image than that of a country's image which has been ruptured for 35 years by military dictators, incompetent political neophytes and apprentices, and of course the two women. Some bristles of good may come about if the BANJIP follows the ruling party lawmaker Dr. Oli Ahmed's stance on "cleaning criminals and corrupt elements" from the party. Because of leadership deficiency, the party became infested with wheelers and dealers who have smeared the party's reputes and along with it the country's image.

Believe it or not, when people would come to know that lobbyists are promoting Bangladesh issues, there will be further drain in alliance government's credibility among the policy makers. It is disconcerting that the ruling politicians cannot defend their five years of misrule and now, having hired lobbyists to face-lift their own image while masking the costs in the name of "our beloved country," are engaged in a desperate measure in desperate times born out of sheer political expediency for perpetuating their grip on power.

Dr. Abdullah A. Dewan is Professor of Economics at Eastern Michigan University.