US Congressman Meeks against ‘wholesale’ sanctions on Bangladesh; backs targeted action against security agency

[Black_cats]

US Congressman Meeks against ‘wholesale’ sanctions on Bangladesh; backs targeted action against security agency​

ANISUR RAHMAN5 February, 2022

Gregory W Meeks. File photo

Gregory W Meeks. File photo

Dhaka, Feb 5 (PTI) Gregory W Meeks, the chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Saturday backed the Biden administration’s targeted sanction on an elite Bangladeshi security agency over alleged human rights issues last year, but said the situation did not warrant any “wholesale” action on the entire country.

The US State Department and Treasury Department on December 10, 2021 slapped separate sanctions on Bangladesh’s elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and seven of its present and former top or senior officials over allegations of serious human rights abuse.

“I believe sanctions can be most useful when they are targeted and don’t believe wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh are currently warranted,” said Meeks, a Democrat, in a statement issued by the foreign affairs committee.

Meeks said: “I continue to support the strengthening of the US-Bangladesh relationship and look forward to working to help address human rights and democracy challenges in the country, including ensuring that the country’s next elections are free and fair” in 2023.” RAB draws personnel from army, navy and air force alongside regular police while Bangladesh’s incumbent police chief Benazir Ahmed too was one of the men to be named in the list while he previously headed the elite unit.

The US simultaneously barred two officials from travelling to the United States and might even have their assets in the US confiscated.

The US decision, however, drew a sharp reaction in Dhaka with the government criticising the sanctions and calling for its reconsideration.

“We are surprised by the move. We think there is scope for re-examination against the allegations,” foreign minister AK Abdul Momen wrote in a letter to his US counterpart Antony Blinken.

Defending RAB, he added: “RAB is a credible organisation. Because of RAB, criminal activities in the country have decreased, so have drug-related cases and human trafficking, which also fall in line with the US’ goal”.

Rights groups and critics welcomed the US move to ensure the security agencies’ accountability while according to media reports no major extra-judicial killing took place since the sanction was slapped.

Most extra-judicial killings previously were dubbed as “cross fires” on the line of encounters with criminal gangs when law enforcement agencies fought in self-defence.

“Widespread allegations of serious human rights abuse in Bangladesh by RAB — as part of the Bangladeshi government’s war on drugs — threaten US national security interests by undermining the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the economic prosperity of the people of Bangladesh,” the US Treasury Department had said.

It also referred to NGOs allegations that RAB and other Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies were responsible for more than 600 disappearances since 2009, nearly 600 extrajudicial killings since 2018, and torture and “some reports suggest these incidents target opposition party members, journalists, and human rights activists”.

The State Department announced travel bans on police’s incumbent and RAB’s former chief Ahmed and Miftah Uddin Ahmed, a military lieutenant colonel and former commanding officer of RAB’s Unit 7.

Both were targeted for their “involvement in the May 2018 extrajudicial killing of coastal Teknaf City Municipal Councilor Ekramul Haque in the Bangladeshi coastal district of Cox’s Bazar.” Several of the cases, however, were referred to the judicial system while a court in a small coastal Cox’s Bazar town earlier this week handed down death penalties to two police officers for their direct involvement in the extra-judicial killing of a retired army officer.

The two police inspectors made an abortive attempt to stigmatise ex-military major Sinha Mohammad Rashed as a drug peddler while he emerged as documentary maker and protested the police activities. PTI AR RUP RUP

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

US Congressman Meeks against 'wholesale' sanctions on Bangladesh; backs targeted action against security agency

Dhaka, Feb 5 (PTI) Gregory W Meeks, the chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Saturday backed the Biden administration’s targeted sanction on an elite Bangladeshi security agency over alleged human rights issues last year, but said the situation did not warrant any “wholesale”...

theprint.in

 

[Maula Jatt]

Not that he is wrong, personally think sanctions are BS
But His district serves Jackson Heights, NY
So he'd have his biases

 

[khansaheeb]

Not that he is wrong, personally think sanctions are BS
But His district serves Jackson Heights, NY
So he'd have his biases

They want to sanction Bangladeshis but what about all the Indian army human right abuses in Kashmir and India? 100s of thousands Kashmiri civilians murdered and disappeared in Kashmir and the US is blind to it.

 

[Trango Towers]

BD is starting to raise its economic profile and the the yanks want to control BD

 

[bluesky]

US Congressman Meeks against ‘wholesale’ sanctions on Bangladesh

Without the sanctions, Bangladesh was approaching the road to the North Korean style of family autocracy. The US govt certainly understood the merit to sanction a targeted few and the country itself need not be sanctioned.

However, the US would be watching how the GoB tackles the issues involving forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and cross-fire killings in the recent past. If the GoB follows what Alga Momen suggests, the US may impose a wholesale sanction on Bangladesh itself. Our exports suffer.

There is no place for complacency. So, the next few weeks/ months are crucial.

 

[Species]

Wholesale sanctions are not necessary, rather include some more organizations within the target list, i.e. Chhatra League, Jubo League etc.

 

[bluesky]

People should see/ watch the video below to know what really Congressman Meeks said in a fundraising gathering among the BD people in his own Constituency. The BAL gov is making false propaganda and a big hue and cry out of it.

It is not going to save the BAL party in the next election that Mr. Meeks will be watching with an eagerness to assure the election chooses people's representatives. He will shortly visit Dhaka.

 

[VikingRaider]

Wholesale sanctions are not necessary, rather include some more organizations within the target list, i.e. Chhatra League, Jubo League etc.

For jubo league and BCL sanction isn't really necessary, as it will be waste of their resources!

If BAL will be taken down , there shall be no BCL or jubo league ; from past experiences we all know that how BCL was beaten like dog by it's political oppositions.

So yes they, no sanction is needed , common folks are enough to beat them, as many times ( from few months as far I know ) , BAL goons were beaten by public in waz mahfils ,when they try to abuse the Mullahs!

Without power and back up they are less than street dogs , specially in this time when they became the most hated people inside Bangladesh!

 

[bluesky]

 

[VikingRaider]

What a click bait headline! Is Bangladesh a province of usa that the next election will be held under USA?
At best it can be under the supervision of UN.

 

[UKBengali]

BD is starting to raise its economic profile and the the yanks want to control BD

BD is smart and will keep good relations with China to balance the USA.

 

[bluesky]

BD is smart and will keep good relations with China to balance the USA.

No, your great BAL govt should reciprocate American sanctions by declaring its own sanctions. It should also ask America to withdraw its Ambassador.

Who is this America in front of great Bangladesh? We must teach this 1971 Razakar America a good lesson.

By the way, if your BAL govt does not hand over two Chetona fugitives, the USA may impose more sanctions. But, why so? It is because the US already knows that BAL Chetona caders killed the progressive-minded people and then very conveniently blamed the Islamists. Now, Hasina has been fully exposed.

Avijit was an American citizen, he was killed by the BAL goons. So, now the BD population will suffer from the killing if America imposes trade sanctions.

 

[Menace2Society]

Become democratic and the pressure will ease.

 

[bluesky]

BD is smart and will keep good relations with China to balance the USA.

No, your great BAL govt should reciprocate American sanctions by declaring its own sanctions. It should also ask America to withdraw its Ambassador.

Who is this America in front of great Bangladesh? We must teach this 1971 Razakar America a good lesson.

By the way, if your BAL govt does not hand over two Chetona fugitives, the USA may impose more sanctions. The US already knows that BAL caders have killed the progressive people and then it blamed the Islamists.

Avijit was an American citizen, he was killed by the BAL goons like you. So, now BD population will suffer from the killing.

 

[peagle]

US Congressman Meeks against ‘wholesale’ sanctions on Bangladesh; backs targeted action against security agency​

ANISUR RAHMAN5 February, 2022

Gregory W Meeks. File photo

Gregory W Meeks. File photo

Dhaka, Feb 5 (PTI) Gregory W Meeks, the chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Saturday backed the Biden administration’s targeted sanction on an elite Bangladeshi security agency over alleged human rights issues last year, but said the situation did not warrant any “wholesale” action on the entire country.

The US State Department and Treasury Department on December 10, 2021 slapped separate sanctions on Bangladesh’s elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and seven of its present and former top or senior officials over allegations of serious human rights abuse.

“I believe sanctions can be most useful when they are targeted and don’t believe wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh are currently warranted,” said Meeks, a Democrat, in a statement issued by the foreign affairs committee.

Meeks said: “I continue to support the strengthening of the US-Bangladesh relationship and look forward to working to help address human rights and democracy challenges in the country, including ensuring that the country’s next elections are free and fair” in 2023.” RAB draws personnel from army, navy and air force alongside regular police while Bangladesh’s incumbent police chief Benazir Ahmed too was one of the men to be named in the list while he previously headed the elite unit.

The US simultaneously barred two officials from travelling to the United States and might even have their assets in the US confiscated.

The US decision, however, drew a sharp reaction in Dhaka with the government criticising the sanctions and calling for its reconsideration.

“We are surprised by the move. We think there is scope for re-examination against the allegations,” foreign minister AK Abdul Momen wrote in a letter to his US counterpart Antony Blinken.

Defending RAB, he added: “RAB is a credible organisation. Because of RAB, criminal activities in the country have decreased, so have drug-related cases and human trafficking, which also fall in line with the US’ goal”.

Rights groups and critics welcomed the US move to ensure the security agencies’ accountability while according to media reports no major extra-judicial killing took place since the sanction was slapped.

Most extra-judicial killings previously were dubbed as “cross fires” on the line of encounters with criminal gangs when law enforcement agencies fought in self-defence.

“Widespread allegations of serious human rights abuse in Bangladesh by RAB — as part of the Bangladeshi government’s war on drugs — threaten US national security interests by undermining the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the economic prosperity of the people of Bangladesh,” the US Treasury Department had said.

It also referred to NGOs allegations that RAB and other Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies were responsible for more than 600 disappearances since 2009, nearly 600 extrajudicial killings since 2018, and torture and “some reports suggest these incidents target opposition party members, journalists, and human rights activists”.

The State Department announced travel bans on police’s incumbent and RAB’s former chief Ahmed and Miftah Uddin Ahmed, a military lieutenant colonel and former commanding officer of RAB’s Unit 7.

Both were targeted for their “involvement in the May 2018 extrajudicial killing of coastal Teknaf City Municipal Councilor Ekramul Haque in the Bangladeshi coastal district of Cox’s Bazar.” Several of the cases, however, were referred to the judicial system while a court in a small coastal Cox’s Bazar town earlier this week handed down death penalties to two police officers for their direct involvement in the extra-judicial killing of a retired army officer.

The two police inspectors made an abortive attempt to stigmatise ex-military major Sinha Mohammad Rashed as a drug peddler while he emerged as documentary maker and protested the police activities. PTI AR RUP RUP

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

US Congressman Meeks against 'wholesale' sanctions on Bangladesh; backs targeted action against security agency

Dhaka, Feb 5 (PTI) Gregory W Meeks, the chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Saturday backed the Biden administration’s targeted sanction on an elite Bangladeshi security agency over alleged human rights issues last year, but said the situation did not warrant any “wholesale”...

theprint.in

Someone needs to remind the Americans that they are not the masters of the world.