Dear Colleague:
We are writing to invite you to join the Congressional Bangladesh Caucus.
The purpose of this bipartisan Congressional Member Organization is to heighten Congressional awareness of the political, social and economic issues affecting Bangladesh. With a country the size of the State of Wisconsin and a population estimated at roughly 130 million, Bangladesh is the largest Muslim country with a working democracy.
Bangladesh overcame formidable challenges of rapid population growth and food deficit within a generation after becoming Independent in 1971. The country is consolidating democratic principles at home, is a partner in global peacekeeping efforts, and an exporter of development ideas, including the Grameen Bank microcredit concept.
Bangladesh is also contributing to global peace and democratic development. From 1988 to March 2001, it has contributed over 38,000 personnel in 26 countries for international peacekeeping and related efforts, including participation in Operation Dessert Shield and Haiti.
The US-Bangladesh bilateral relationship has also evolved. The aid donor and recipient relationship of the 1970s has been replaced with a relationship based on increased trade and investment. American energy investors UNOCAL, Halliburton, and AES, among others, have brought some $800 million in investment to Bangladesh over the last few years. Bangladesh is reported to have considerable natural gas reserves which have not yet been developed. Other firms, like Seattle’s SSA, which is planning to build a new modern port facility, could bring substantial new investment to other sectors, including telecoms. The U.S. has become the adopted home to an increasing number of Bangladeshi-Americans, many of whom are highly educated and financially and professionally well-established. The community is estimated to total roughly 250,000.
With the help of Bangladeshi-American organizations, other NGO’s, embassy officials, and other experts, our goal is to keep members of Congress updated on current events in Bangladesh, resulting in informed policy decisions.
If you would like to join the Congressional Bangladesh Caucus, or would like more information, please contact Jodi Lieberman of my staff at 225-3965 or by e-mail at jodi.lieberman@mail.house.gov.
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Joseph Crowley
Member of Congress
Chairman
