Sanctions to continue until RAB turns accountable: Haas

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Thursday said has been no change in their policy on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and sanctions on the agency will continue until there has been accountability and reform.

“We are looking for accountability for the past incidents,” said the US envoy at the “Meet the Ambassador” event organised by the Centre for Governance Studies in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bangladesh at a hotel in Dhaka.

Haas noted that the number of extrajudicial killings has significantly changed since the sanctions imposed in December last year which he sees as a very good signal.

He said the sanctions imposed by the US against RAB and seven of its former and current officials are not intended to punish but to change the behaviour and hold them accountable.

Representatives of political parties, academics, former diplomats and business leaders were present at the event.

CGS Chairman and chairman of the National River Protection Commission Manjur A Chowdhury, Resident Representatives of FES Bangladesh Felix Kobiz also spoke while the conversation was moderated by CGS Executive Director of CGS Zillur Rahman.

Haas said free and fair elections simply cannot take place in an environment with political violence, noting that ensuring free and fair elections is everyone’s responsibility.

“If any one of them fails to fulfil their responsibility or if any one of them prevents another from fulfilling their responsibility, free and fair elections would become nearly impossible,” he said.

The Election Commission, government, media, law enforcement agencies, civil society and political parties - everyone has an important role to play, he added.

It is important for everyone - demonstrators, political parties, the government, and law enforcement - to respect the rule of law and to refrain from violence, harassment, and intimidation, Haas said, making it clear that the United States “does not favour” any particular political party.

Haas said the recent violence at political rallies and demonstrations here in Bangladesh reminds them of this fact.

He said the promotion of democracy is particularly relevant as Bangladesh looks toward the upcoming parliamentary elections.

“What we want is a free and fair election conducted in accordance with international standards where the people of Bangladesh can freely choose their own government.

Talking further on the elections, he said, “I keep saying free, fair and transparent elections in accordance with international standards. I am happy to add inclusive on it.”

The US touched upon various aspects of Bangladesh-US relations including trade, labour rights, regional and global politics, and Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in terms of workplace safety in the export-oriented industries, he said, adding that the US still has concerns in the area of labour rights.

Several journalists also asked about the USA’s views on India’s decision to buy energy from Russia and Bangladesh’s stance on the BRI and other issues.

The ambassador expressed that many have misconceptions about the US sanction on Russia where oil, gas, and agricultural products are not part of the sanction.

Also, he said the BRI issue is Bangladesh’s decision to make and the US has no say in it.