Released on = April 9, 2006, 11:02 am

Press Release Author = Magna News & Feature Service Inc

Industry = Media

Press Release Summary = Main opposition politican party in Bangladesh, Awami League
distributed set of photocopied papers, where it was seen that Bangladesh government
hired Washington Group located at 1401 K. Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington DC
2005, Kethchum Washinton, 2000 L St., NW, 3rd Floor, Washington DC 20036 and Richard
L Benkin 521 North Pine Street, Mt Prospect, Il 60056, USA with monthly retainer of
US$ 50,000, 15,000 and 5,000 respectively and appointed them as lobbyist for the
ruling government in Bangladesh to provide advice and work with American media to
advance the interests toward the People\'s Republic of Bangladesh. They are also
assigned to work with the Congressional Caucus in any media outreach or events.

Press Release Body = Main opposition politican party in Bangladesh, Awami League
distributed set of photocopied papers, where it was seen that Bangladesh government
hired Washington Group located at 1401 K. Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington DC
2005, Kethchum Washinton, 2000 L St., NW, 3rd Floor, Washington DC 20036 and Richard
L Benkin 521 North Pine Street, Mt Prospect, Il 60056, USA with monthly retainer of
US$ 50,000, 15,000 and 5,000 respectively and appointed them as lobbyist for the
ruling government in Bangladesh to provide advice and work with American media to
advance the interests toward the People\'s Republic of Bangladesh. They are also
assigned to work with the Congressional Caucus in any media outreach or events.
According to the papers, the agreement was concluded on 31st October last year
between Bangladesh ambassador in Washington Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and John D.
Raffaelli of Washington Group.
Awami League\'s publicity secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury circulated the paper in a
press conference in Dhaka this evening.
Bangladesh government has rejected such the claim by Awami League of appointing
lobbyists in the United States, saying, leaders of Awami League must have
manufactured such false documents to malign the image of the ruling party. They
said, following the recent coverage in TIME magazine\'s current issue, which
portrayed Bangladesh in an extremely positive manner, political opponents of the
ruling alliance in Bangladesh have become complete \'mad\'.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh intelligence have started investigation to find out the figure
who manufactured such document to malign the image of the country.
Meanwhile, Richard Benkin, an American writer, columnist and peace activist said,
last week his visa was refused by Bangladesh government. He has never been
approached by the Bangladesh government for any such services.


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