Momen writes Blinken over US sanction on Rab

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, in a letter, conveyed new year greetings to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

According to Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources, Momen hoped that the bilateral relationship between the two countries will strengthen further.  

the letter also mentioned about the US decision to impose sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion and seven current and former top officials of the agency, including Benazir Ahmed (now inspector general of police).

On December 10, the United States imposed the sanctions.

Benazir, former director general of Rab, and five officials were designated by the Department of the Treasury under the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme in connection with serious human rights abuse.

The five are: Rab Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun; Khan Mohammad Azad, additional director general (operations) of Rab; Tofayel Mustafa Sorwar, former additional director general (operations); Mohammad Jahangir Alam, former additional director general (operations); and Mohammad Anwar Latif Khan, former additional director general (operations).

Besides, the US State Department barred Benazir, and another former official of Rab Lt Col Miftah Uddin Ahmed, from traveling to the United States.