Home ›› 13 Dec 2021 ›› Front
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday said that no extrajudicial killing took place in Bangladesh and the allegations brought by the US against RAB and other agencies were untrue and imaginary.
“I want to say one thing straight, the allegations against the RAB and other agencies are not true and these allegations are imaginary. No extrajudicial killing took place in Bangladesh,” the minister said.
The minister said this while speaking to newsmen after attending the inaugural ceremony of 26th Judicial Administration Training Course for District and Sessions Judges and Metropolitan Sessions Judges at Judicial Administrative Training Institute (JATI) in the capital, reports BSS.
“The US restriction on seven former and current officials of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is unfortunate. Those who believe in the rule of law and democracy have a responsibility and that is to follow the appropriate process, hearing self-defence statements of the accused persons. But, it is very unfortunate that they have imposed restrictions without even giving any opportunities for self-defence,” he added.
US sanctions to encourage militancy, says Quader
Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the US sanctions on the IGP and six RAB officials were politically motivated and the decision will encourage terrorism and militancy.
“RAB as an elite force has been professional in discharging of its work,” he said while addressing a briefing at his office in the Secretariat on Sunday, reports UNB.
He also recalled the controversial role of the US during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 and after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975.
However, Bangladesh did not allow these issues to stand in the way of establishing friendly relations with Washington, he added.
He said the US move has hurt Bangladesh when it is celebrating 50 years of its independence.
Quader said that the Anti-Corruption Commission has been playing an independent role in carrying out any investigation, but it is unreasonable to impose sanctions on a force chief and former officers by making baseless allegations.
Speaking on human rights, the Awami League general secretary also urged them to look into the human rights situation in their country first.
Obaidul Quader said that the death of George Floyd had shaken the whole world which raised the question about the human rights issue of the US administration.
Sanctions shameful for country, says Fakhrul
However, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir blamed the Awami League government for its use of state institutions that led to sanctions from the US government on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its seven current and former top officials.
“The USA imposed the sanctions on RAB while the high-ranking officials of the organisation are not allowed to go there. If they have any property there, it will be confiscated. It’s a matter of shame,” the BNP leader said, reports UNB.
Fakhrul also alleged that over 600 people were made to disappear, 1,000 people were killed unlawfully and over 1,000 people were maimed during the rule of the current government.
He said the law enforcers have become desperate as the government used them to protect its power.
“In this way, the government has destroyed all the institutions of the country. We are saddened that our former army chief has been banned in America. Neither he nor his family members will be able to enter America.”
