‘Why this US sanction on Rab?’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday questioned the motive behind impositions of sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) by the United States.

“Who created Rab?” she asked, pointing out that the US trained Rab and provided everything to the anti-crime agency, which has been credited for its role in dealing with militancy and terrorism.

She said that some people provide false and fabricated information about the human rights violation to the United States, and some of them are misguiding the US after committing crimes here and leaving the country.

She appreciated Rab, saying that it has successfully tackled crimes and terrorism, but now criminals are being encouraged because of such sanctions on the agency.
Sheikh Hasina made the statement when she briefed journalists at her official residence Ganabhaban on her recent participation in the UN General Assembly.

Earlier, this month US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said that the number of extrajudicial killings has significantly gone down since the US sanctions imposed on Rab. He said he saw this “as a good sign”.

In December, 2021, the United States imposed human rights related sanctions on Rab and seven former or current officials of the agency.