US imposes sanctions on Benazir, RAB DG and four others
The United States of America has imposed sanctions on six former and current officials of Bangladesh’s elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) for human rights abuse on Friday.
The US treasury department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed the sanctions on International Human Rights Day, today.
Among the persons sanctioned are inspector general of police and former director general of RAB Benazir Ahmed. He was RAB’s DG from January 2015 to 14 April, 2020.
“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 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.
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 repressionWally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the treasury department, USA
Deputy secretary of the treasury Wally Adeyemo said, “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.”
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 opinionAsaduzzaman Khan
Other than RAB, the US treasury department has sanctioned individuals and entities from China, North Korea and Myanmar.