Quoting Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sources, a vernacular tabloid-daily has said, MOFA has alerted Bangladesh’s missions abroad to remain vigilant about sudden imposition of sanctions on law enforcement agencies.
According to the report, the government has given urgent instructions to Bangladesh ambassadors abroad to take immediate action to prevent the imposition of new sanctions on law enforcement agencies. In a long letter in this regard, the Foreign Secretary said, “There has been a unilateral sanction on a specialized law enforcement agency and its senior officers”.
We have good reason to believe that further sanctions may come in the same context or for other reasons against public bodies-individuals intended to harm the government and its institutions. In this situation, I am calling on you (emissaries) to take the necessary measures on time as well as to take maximum precautions in order to be ready to prevent the any sanctions.
Foreign Secretary Masood bin Momen also mentioned in the letter that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will give updated information and instructions from time to time. On December 10, 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and 7 officers of the force for alleged serious human rights violations.
The government is not dismissing the fear of similar restrictions again. In such a context, foreign ministry sources have confirmed that additional warning letters have been given to the ambassadors of Bangladesh appointed abroad to deal with such a situation.
It has been said that the Foreign Secretary has given 7-point instructions to the ambassadors, high commissioners and all mission heads to take necessary steps from their respective positions to deal with the situation like ‘unilateral sanctions’. At the same time, a list of work priorities of Bangladesh ambassadors abroad in 2023 has also been given.
According to the vernacular daily, sources have confirmed that the letter was sent to the missions on December 31, 2022. The issue of sending the secretary’s letter came to the fore amid discussions that new sanctions may come from December 10 this year.
Speculations of fresher sanctions are already discussed within political and diplomatic circles. However, the government has been dismissing such possibility of fresher sanctions. On the following day of sending to the December 31, 2022 letter, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen held a virtual meeting with Bangladesh ambassadors abroad.
Several ambassadors of Bangladesh stationed in different countries of the world told the vernacular daily that the Foreign Secretary’s letter of instruction and the meeting of the virtual Foreign Minister are both tied together. In view of the national elections, the ambassadors of Bangladesh appointed in the western countries have been urged to take extra initiative. However, no country has been specifically mentioned in this case.
It may be noted that there are several visits of US high-level representatives to Bangladesh during January and subsequent months. In all of these visits, there would be discussions on the existing political situation of the country, the upcoming general elections and human rights issues, while Dhaka will pursue lifting of the 2021 sanctions imposed by the US Department of Treasury.
Is there possibility of fresher sanctions on Bangladesh?
Talking to this correspondent, several high-ranking officials in Washington DC said, Biden administration is putting emphasis on further strengthening relations with Bangladesh, while President Joe Biden has recently appreciated Bangladesh’s tremendous economic progress during the past five decades. Joe Biden also has applauded Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for giving shelter to over 1.2 million Rohingyas, who fled Myanmar amid genocide committed by the Burmese military junta.
But these officials said, political opponents of ruling Awami League have been gradually intensifying their activities in Washington, London and other capitals of the Western countries with several allegations, which include gross human rights violation, gauging of press freedom, and uncertainty over holding a free and fair general election in 2024 under Awami League government. They are pressing demand for holding the next election under “caretake government”. With this goal, political opponents of Awami League are spending hugely towards lobbyists as well as media coverages.
Another source said, Bangladesh government possibly is uninterested in putting focus on the international media. With tremendous socio-economic achievements as well Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s success in containing Islamist militancy and terrorism, it is essential that Bangladesh government puts urgent emphasis on getting these issues duly presented in the international media. Sheikh Hasina’s government also needs to further deepen its relations and interactions with the current members of the US Congress, particularly from the Republican Party, as the Congress shall remain under Republican control until December 2024.
