Bangladeshis haven’t accepted US sanctions: Foreign minister
Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen has said that the people of Bangladesh have not accepted the sanctions the US imposed on seven officials of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) including the force’s former head Benazir Ahmed, who is now the chief of Bangladesh police.
He further said he had talked about the sanctions during his telephonic conversations with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The foreign minister said this in reply to a query about his telephonic conversations with the US Secretary of State on Wednesday. He was talking to newspersons at a media conference at Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Thursday.
Abdul Momen said the phone call was made, for discussion.
At that time newspersons asked whether they discussed about withdrawing the sanctions imposed on RAB officials. Momen said, neither he talked about the issue nor did the US Secretary of State.
Earlier, on Wednesday evening, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken phoned to the mobile phone of Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen. They talked for about 30 minutes.
Two foreign ministers discussed on advancing relations between Bangladesh and the US as the two countries will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2022.
During the telephonic conversation Bangladesh foreign minister raised the issue of sanctions on RAB as an entity and seven of its current and former officials. Anthony Blinken assured him of holding discussion on the issue.
Abdul Momen requested Anthony Blinken for discussion over telephone before taking any decision regarding Bangladesh if they had any question on anything.
On the International Human Rights Day on 10 December, the US imposed sanctions on seven former and current officials of Bangladesh’s elite force, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), for “human rights abuse”.
Among the persons sanctioned are current inspector general of police and former director general of RAB, Benazir Ahmed. He served as RAB’s DG from January 2015 to 14 April 2020.