Hasina questions sanctions on RAB, wonders if US is unhappy with its counter-terrorism activities

She suggests the US should share responsibilities for the force’s activities

Sheikh Hasina has questioned sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion, asking if the US is unhappy with the force’s counter-terrorism operations. 

In a briefing about her trip to the US and the United Kingdom on Thursday, the prime minister also suggested Washington should share responsibilities for the RAB’s activities since it trained the elite police force.

Hasina said she was not certain when and how much the Biden administration would ease the sanctions on the RAB. “But,” she questioned, “what’s the point of placing sanctions on what we’ve used to counter terrorism in Bangladesh?”

The US imposed sanctions on the RAB and seven of its former and incumbent officials, including former directors general Benazir Ahmed and Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, for “serious human rights violations” in December 2021.

Benazir recently retired, having been succeeded by Al-Mamun as the inspector general of police.

The US has maintained that Bangladesh must ensure reforms to the RAB and accountability for reports of extra-judicial killings and other sorts of human rights violation.

Hasina claimed law enforcers in Bangladesh are brought to justice over complaints of wrongdoing. “But you’ve seen that the police in the US barely face justice even if they shoot down people on a whim,” she said, recalling the death of George Floyd, an African-American killed during his arrest. 

The prime minister alleged many Bangladeshis were killed in the US but the country did nothing about it. “I’ve made it clear to them,” she said, shedding light on her discussions over the issue during her recent visit.

She then mentioned the RAB’s collaboration with the US. “My question is: who created the RAB? It was done with their counsel and training. RAB’s weapons, helicopter, digital and ICT systems were all provided by the US,” she said, suggesting that the US could have made the allegations had the training been “good”.

She also alleged that some expatriate Bangladeshis had played a role in the imposition of sanctions on the RAB, saying it was “sad” that migrants spread “lies and fabrications” to local state senators and congressmen.

These Bangladeshis were “either criminals or fired from their jobs”, Hasina said, adding that the children of war crimes convicts were also involved in spreading misinformation.

The prime minister said the UN list of 76 Bangladeshi victims of enforced disappearance was faulty. After the UN raised the issue recently, it became clear that more disappearances occurred during the military regime of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, she said.