I personally do not use the word, “boycott,” and am not looking for one here. What I am asking will not hurt the mass of Bangladeshis–and we can expect to hear that cynical argument by those who take advantage of compassionate natures. It will, however, put pressure on those few business, military, and political leaders. The successive Bangladeshi governments have exasperrated us with delays, lies, and “secret plans” to drop the admittedly false charges agianst Shoaib without angering Bangladeshi Islamists. I was in Bangladesh when the military took over last year, and was as hopeful as everyone else in the country. We expected that they new rulers would finally break from the nation’s history of legendary corruption, appeasement of Islamist radicals, and the ongoing oppression of minorities, women, and dissidents. Unfortunately, this government has been a supreme and utter disappointment! It has reneged on its initial putsch against corruption instead charging its enemies (often falsely) and protecting its friends. It has given the Islamists a pass from the draconian human rights violations the rest of the country suffers and essentially carte blanche to continue their hate-filled actions. Oppression of minorities continues unabated, and the government has stated its intent to keep looking the other way while its minions continue ethnic cleansing through the Vested Property Act.

Now the government has increased Shoaib’s harassment and are making his position quite precarious. Numerous sources inside the country confirm that the military junta is trying to force all dissidents to flee by making life more difficult and dangerous for them; and Shoaib tops their list. Recently, they revealed part of that intent when in collusion with the government�s representative in court, the Public Prosecutor, a judge revoked Shoaib�s bail, though it was done contrary to Bangladeshi law. In another move, the government is trying to revoke his press credentials in order to silence him. We can act, however, by exercising our consumer power. It is our choice how we spend our money, and I for one will not spend mine on a company that supports the oppression of my brother by purchasing Bangladeshi imports. And I�m letting companies know that�and know why. I sent out a recent call for action, and it has been reprinted in several venues. Diana West has written a terrific piece in the Washington Times about it, too.

Here is a list of the top five US importers of Bangladeshi goods and their contact information:

WAL-MART, INC.
H. Lee Scott, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer
Bob Walton, Chairman, Board of Directors
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716
Phone: +1-479-273-4000

Wal-Mart’s Global Ethics Office: [email protected]

Congressman: John Boozman (R AR-3); Senators: Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D) and Mark Pryor (D).

THE GAP, INC.
Robert J. Fisher
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Interim Chief Executive Officer
Gap, Inc.
Two Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: +1-650-952-4400

The Gap’s Board of Directors: [email protected]

Corporate Compliance Department: [email protected]

Congressmanwoman: Nancy Pelosi (D CA-8); Senators: Diane Feinstein (D) and Barbara Boxer (D)

NIKE, INC.
Philip H. Knight, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Mark Parker, President & Chief Executive Officer
Nike World Headquarters
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005-6453
Phone: +1-800-344-6453

Nike’s Corporate Responsibility Governance: [email protected]

Congressman: David Wu (D OR-1); Senators: Ron Wyden (D) and Gordon Smith (R)

VF CORPORATION
Mackey J. McDonald, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Eric C. Wiseman, President and Chief Operating Officer
105 Corporate Center Blvd.
Greensboro NC 27408
Phone: +1-336-424-6000

Cindy Knoebel, Vice-president for corporate communication: [email protected]

Congressman: Coble (R NC-6); Senators: Elizabeth Dole (R) and Richard Burr (R)

PHILLIPS-VAN HEUSEN CORPORATION
Emanuel Chirico
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Phone: +1-212-381-3500
Fax: +1-212-381-3950

Congresswoman: Carolyn B. Maloney (D NY-14); Senators: Charles Schumer (D) and Hilary Rodham Clinton (D)

As mentioned above, this is not a boycott, but if enough of us write these companies and make it known their choice of countries is harming their economic interests–and why–the information will get back to the Bangladeshi exporters: that nation’s most powerful lobbying bloc. Click here for a sample letter you can send to each of these companies.
Please take up this call. Garment exports are the lifeblood of the Bangladeshi economy, and if they are threatened, the government might actually do the right thing and stop appeasing Islamist radicals by dropping the charges against Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.