US allegation of human rights abuse by RAB, its officials untrue: Home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Saturday denied the allegation of human rights violation made by the United States against Bangladeshi elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and seven of its officials.

"The decision of imposing the sanctions was not taken objectively rather it was based on exaggerated news sources," he said while responding to a question from reporters at an event on Saturday.

The minister was attending the 'Ideal Customer Honors Memorial-2021' prize distribution ceremony at Dhaka WASA's Buriganga Hall in the capital's Karwan Bazar.

Earlier, the US State Department imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and seven of its former and current officials, including the current Inspector General of Police (IGP) and former RAB director general (DG) Benazir Ahmed, and former RAB-7 commanding officer Lt Col Miftah Uddin Ahmed.

It linked them to the "extrajudicial" killing of Teknaf Municipality councillor Ekramul Haque, during an anti-drug drive in May 2018.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department designated RAB, Benazir, and five other former and current RAB officials under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, EO 13818 citing "serious human rights abuse relating to their tenure."

In addition to RAB, the US on Friday imposed extensive human rights-related sanctions on people and entities originating from China, Myanmar, and North Korea, and included Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group in an investment blacklist.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, "None of our organisations has violated human rights. If they do, legal action must be taken against them."

"Every incident, however, is investigated by a magistrate if any organisation is accused of human rights violations in Bangladesh," he added.

The measures are the latest in a raft of sanctions timed to coincide with Biden's two-day virtual Summit for Democracy, where he announced initiatives to bolster democracy around the world and support for pro-democracy legislation in the United States.

Biden said on Friday that commitments made by some of the more than 100 world leaders at the summit would push back against rising autocracy around the world, fight corruption and promote human rights.

"This is going to help seed fertile ground for democracy to bloom around the world," he said in a speech closing the summit.

Canada and the United Kingdom joined the United States in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuses in Myanmar, while Washington also imposed the first new sanctions on North Korea under President Joe Biden's administration and targeted Myanmar military entities, among others, in action marking Human Rights Day.

"Our actions today, particularly those in partnership with the United Kingdom and Canada, send a message that democracies around the world will act against those who abuse the power of the state to inflict suffering and repression," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.