Washington sees progress on RAB activities: Nuland

The United States (US) have seen progress over Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) activities on human rights in last three months since Washington imposed sanction on the elite force and its some former and current officials.    

“We have seen progress in the last three months with regards remediating these (human rights) things,” said US under Secretary for political affairs Victoria Nuland.

She made the remark at a joint press briefing with Bangladesh foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen after emerging from the 8th partnership dialogue at state guest house Padma in Dhaka.

Terming the section as “complicated and difficult issue”, the Under Secretary said, the US looks forward to working together with Dhaka to address the sanction issue “because our security and counter terrorism cooperation is so important”.

Nuland said Bangladesh government has zero tolerance over human right violation issues while she received a paper at the dialogue regarding the Dhaka’s plan to address the issue.

Masud said Dhaka gave a dossier to the US side on the latest development of RAB and its performance and some of the government’s initiatives addressing the sanction issue.

“We will continue our discussion (with the US) in several formats, and hopefully this issue will be resolved in due course,” he said.

The foreign secretary said Bangladesh deeply values its multifaceted relations with the US based on shared liberal values of upholding democracy and human dignity, commitment towards maintaining international peace and security as well as aspiration for socio-economic development of people.

Masud said Bangladesh has high expectations from the Biden Administration in terms of building a comprehensive partnership between the two nations.   

“Bangladesh will remain keen in this regard, with the view to work closely with the US in our journey together towards peace and prosperity,” said the secretary.

Later, the US under Secretary called on foreign minister Dr Ak Abdul Momen at the foreign ministry in Dhaka.

Source: BSS