Bangladesh opposes US sanctions against RAB, security officials | Issues of Human Rights

Seven people, including a Bangladeshi police chief, have been punished by Biden officials for violating their rights.

Bangladesh on Saturday called on the US ambassador to hold a series of protests against Washington against security officials after seven people, including the country’s police chief, were accused by Biden officials of violating human rights.

Washington imposed sanctions against a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), who are accused of participating hundreds are missing and about 600 murders of unsuspecting individuals since 2018.

Seven current or former Rapid Action Battalion executives were also approved. Includes Benazir Ahmed, a former RAB chief and now the head of the South Asian state with more than 200,000 police officers.

“We are determined to put human rights at the center of our foreign policy, and we reaffirm this commitment through the use of appropriate tools and authorities to raise awareness and promote accountability for human rights abuses and torture,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Bangladeshi officials were quick to criticize the case, with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen calling on the US ambassador to “express Dhaka’s dissatisfaction” with the ruling, the ministry said in a statement.

“I am sorry that the US has decided to discredit a government agency that has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and other international crimes that are considered to be very important by successive US agencies,” he added.

One of the victims, the deputy head of RAB KM Azad, defended the group’s actions, saying it did not violate human rights.

“If the criminalization of a criminal offense is a violation of human rights, then we have no objection to violating this humanitarian right to benefit the country,” he said.

‘Perfect move’

Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan also commented on the issue, saying human rights abuses are common. checked.

“If a violation of human rights is raised, investigations are conducted through magistrates. Laws have been passed here if any government agency violates human rights, ”Khan told reporters in Dhaka.

“The US did not impose sanctions fairly. “Drug dealers use firearms to protect themselves, which can lead to clashes with the police, which can lead to injuries.”

Meanwhile, local civil rights activists have embraced this.

“It is the best way for the US. But more officers who have been abducted and forced to flee need to be included,” said Sanjida Islam, mayer Mayer Daak, who represents the families of the victims.

Many Bangladeshi security agencies are taking part in the disappearance and unjust killings, he said, but RAB is the main culprit and took part in the abduction and disappearance of his brother in 2013.

The RAB was set up in 2004 to deal with terrorists and major crimes in a country of 169 million people.

But it has been embroiled in controversy and allegations of human rights abuses, including the shooting of suspected terrorists.

In January 2017, a Bangladeshi court ordered that 26 people, including 16 RAB officers, be executed after being found guilty of participating in the kidnapping and murder of seven people in the central city of Narayanganj.