US state department issues separate sanctions on Benazir, another

US state department has slapped sanctions on current inspector general of the Bangladesh Police and former director general of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Benazir Ahmed, and former commanding officer of RAB-7 Miftah Uddin Ahmed on Friday.

The US state department in a press statement said Benazir and Miftah have been sanctioned 'for their involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely the May 2018 extrajudicial killing of Teknaf city municipal councilor Ekramul Haque in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh.'

In a separate move on Friday, US treasury department imposed sanctions on 6 current and former officials of RAB including Benazir Ahmed for human rights abuse. That means, a total of seven officials have been sanctioned by two different departments.

The US treasury department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed the sanctions on International Human Rights Day, 10 December.

“Today, the U.S. Department of State has announced visa restrictions under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2021 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act on Benazir Ahmed due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights, making him ineligible for entry into the United States,” said a press release of US treasury department.

Other officials sanctioned by the treasury department are current RAB director general Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, additional director general (operations) Khan Mohammad Azad, former additional director general (operations) Tofayel Mustafa Sorwar, former additional director general (operations) Mohammad Jahangir Alam and former additional director general (operations) Mohammad Anwar Latif Khan.

“NGOs have alleged that RAB and other Bangladeshi law enforcement are responsible for more than 600 disappearances since 2009, nearly 600 extrajudicial killings since 2018, and torture. Some reports suggest these incidents target opposition party members, journalists, and human rights activists,” the press release adds.

The press release quoted deputy secretary of the treasury Wally Adeyemo as saying, “Our actions today, particularly those in partnership with the United Kingdom and Canada, send a message that democracies around the world will act against those who abuse the power of the state to inflict suffering and repression.”

Asked about the development, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan told Prothom Alo, “We’ve heard about it but we are yet to be informed officially. Once we are apprised of it officially, we would sit with the secretary and give our opinion.”

Prothom Alo tried to contact with RAB’s legal and media wing director and spokesperson Khandaker Al Moin several times over phone last night for the elite force’s comment on the issue. Later text message and whatsapp messages were sent to his mobile phone, but he could not be reached.

Assistant inspector general (media) of police headquartes Kamruzzaman could not be reached either for comments.

The state department’s sanctions hit 12 officials from Uganda, Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka, Belarus and Mexico while the treasury department sanctions include 15 individuals and 10 entities from from China, North Korea and Myanmar.