Bangladesh Foreign secy summons US envoy over sanctions imposed on RAB officials

Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 11 : Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Saturday summoned the US Ambassador Earl R Miller to convey Dhaka's discontent with the designated sanctions imposed by Washington on seven present and former officials of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), local media reported on Saturday.
On Friday, the US Department of Treasury and the Department of State imposed the sanction on the seven former and incumbent RAB officials and RAB itself as an entity, allegedly over serious human rights abuses, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Foreign Secretary Momen expressed Bangladesh's disappointment at the fact that the decision was taken unilaterally by the US Administration without any prior consultation with the government of Bangladesh, said the Foreign Ministry.
He said the issues that were cited for imposing the designated sanctions remain under active discussions, including under the framework of the regular institutional dialogues between the two sides, and that yet, the US decision came without any prior intimation, Dhaka Tribune reported.
According to the Bangladeshi newspaper, Foreign Secretary said the allegations made against RAB over certain specific incidents had been explained, along with information on the corresponding justice and accountability measures undertaken, to not just the US Administration but also to a number of UN human rights mechanisms on multiple occasions.
Masud stated that the US decision appears to have been based more on "unverified" or "unsubstantiated" allegations of command responsibility than on facts involved in connection with certain specific incidents that had taken place at the local level.
The foreign secretary emphasized that the government of Bangladesh remains committed to upholding the rule of law and human rights, and maintains a "zero tolerance" approach to any wrongdoings or aberrations by its law enforcement agencies.
He stressed that all uniformed services in Bangladesh follow a set of legal and administrative procedures to address any allegation of wrongdoing against any of their members and that RAB is no exception in this regard.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Miller took note of the concerns raised by the government of Bangladesh, and assured of conveying the same to his capital, Dhaka Tribune reported.
He concurred that the excellent multifaceted relations between two countries could be further deepened through established consultation mechanisms and high-level visits. Miller further expressed the willingness of the US Government to remain closely engaged with the government of Bangladesh in the coming days on issues of mutual interest, Dhaka Tribune further reported.