The American University Foreign Policy Association presented His Excellency Mr. Shamsher M. Chowdhury, the Bangladeshi Ambassador, to the United States last Thursday.
Chowdhury served in the War of Liberation of Bangladesh, earning several honors and decorations. He continued to serve in civil service positions before assuming the role of ambassador to the United States in 2005.
Chowdhury gave a brief background of Bangladesh, a country unfamiliar to many Americans. The nation is home to roughly 144 million people, with a land area approximately the size of Wisconsin, according to Chowdhury.
"This defies all economic theories of land to man ratio," he said. "Though Bangladesh does not have many natural resources, it has tremendous human resource."
Chowdhury spoke of the uniqueness of the country as an anomaly when compared to other Muslim countries.
"We have human dignity, human rights and the sense of democracy," he said. "We have been seen as a shining example of democracy in the Muslim world."
According to the ambassador, women have had substantial roles in society and Bangladesh had a female prime minister before many European and Asian nations. Bangladesh was ranked 19th in employment opportunities for women, and has encouraged women in the educational sector as well by offering free primary education to girls.
Chowdhury discussed Bangladesh's opposition to terrorism and its fight against terrorists in the country.
"The government banned all religious groups that exposed hatred in the name of religion," Chowdhury said. After the terrorist attacks on Bangladesh last August, the country "went on a massive manhunt and found over 600 people indirectly or directly involved in terrorism," he said.
The ambassador said the government issued an order for a particular Friday's religious services to incorporate teaching Bangladeshis that "they are not truly Muslims" if they participate in terrorist acts-they are "enemies of Islam and enemies of mankind."
Chowdhury expressed his concern with the inability of Bangladesh to access American markets because of "excessively" high tariffs.
"These heavy duties by the American government are really hampering the growth of Bangladesh exports," he said. The ambassador said economic instability could create political instability in the region.
Hal Steinberg, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, was attracted to the event because of his interest in international politics.
I was surprised by what he was saying about women's rights," he said. "We in the West often don't consider that non-Western nations also empower women."
Kristy Mordhorst, a graduate student in the School of International Service and President of the AU Foreign Policy Association said she invited the Bangladesh Ambassador in particular because she thought students would be interested to know more about the country and its citizens.
"People have preconceptions about a majority Muslim country and would not expect it to be democratic as well," she said.
The FPA will be hosting Doctor Wayne from the State Department, who will discuss United States and Russian relations with AU students, in late March. "The FPA is nonpartisan, so many diverse conversations and speakers have and will be presented," Mordhorst said.
