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Tribune Report
File photo of Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen UNB
Bangladesh-US relations have been strained since Washington sanctioned RAB and several of its current and former officials.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Saturday accused the US of acting high and mighty while sheltering Rashed Chowdhury, a prime suspect in the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman.
The minister was speaking to reporters at an event organized to mark International Migrants Day on Saturday.
“A person [Rashed] who committed crimes against humanity and killed many people is now being sheltered by the US,” the minister said.
Regarding US sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and several of its current and former officials over alleged human rights abuses, Momen said: “We [Momen and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken] have talked about the issue. Time is an issue right now, we will sit and discuss the matter later.”
He also mentioned that crime rates in Bangladesh had dropped significantly due to RAB.
“You [the US] want to stop terrorism, drug abuse and human trafficking. RAB does just that. Bangladeshis have not accepted the sanctions on RAB,” he added.
The foreign minister said the people of Bangladesh had faith in RAB because “they cannot be bought” and the US was wrong to impose sanctions on such an agency.
He said Blinken had promised to discuss the issue and realized that Bangladesh was very disappointed with the sanctions.
Furthermore, Momen said Bangladesh currently did not have any plans to take retaliatory action against the US. “We do not have the mentality of looking for faults with everyone.”
The US government recently slapped sanctions on RAB and seven of its former and current high officials over allegations of human rights abuses.
Sanctions were also imposed on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar and North Korea, while the Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group was added to an investment blacklist under Section 7031(c) of the FY2021 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.
The sanctioned officials include former RAB director general (DG) and current Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed and current RAB DG Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, according to a press release issued by the US Department of Treasury on December 10.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen summoned United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller on December 11 to convey Dhaka’s disappointment over the sanctions imposed by Washington.
- Published at 11:55 pm December 18th, 2021
File photo of Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen UNB
Bangladesh-US relations have been strained since Washington sanctioned RAB and several of its current and former officials.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Saturday accused the US of acting high and mighty while sheltering Rashed Chowdhury, a prime suspect in the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman.
The minister was speaking to reporters at an event organized to mark International Migrants Day on Saturday.
“A person [Rashed] who committed crimes against humanity and killed many people is now being sheltered by the US,” the minister said.
Regarding US sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and several of its current and former officials over alleged human rights abuses, Momen said: “We [Momen and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken] have talked about the issue. Time is an issue right now, we will sit and discuss the matter later.”
He also mentioned that crime rates in Bangladesh had dropped significantly due to RAB.
“You [the US] want to stop terrorism, drug abuse and human trafficking. RAB does just that. Bangladeshis have not accepted the sanctions on RAB,” he added.
The foreign minister said the people of Bangladesh had faith in RAB because “they cannot be bought” and the US was wrong to impose sanctions on such an agency.
He said Blinken had promised to discuss the issue and realized that Bangladesh was very disappointed with the sanctions.
Furthermore, Momen said Bangladesh currently did not have any plans to take retaliatory action against the US. “We do not have the mentality of looking for faults with everyone.”
The US government recently slapped sanctions on RAB and seven of its former and current high officials over allegations of human rights abuses.
Sanctions were also imposed on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar and North Korea, while the Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group was added to an investment blacklist under Section 7031(c) of the FY2021 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.
The sanctioned officials include former RAB director general (DG) and current Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed and current RAB DG Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, according to a press release issued by the US Department of Treasury on December 10.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen summoned United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller on December 11 to convey Dhaka’s disappointment over the sanctions imposed by Washington.