Bangladesh
RAB RAB is US, UK's creation: Foreign Minister
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, January 22: Foreign Minister Abdul Momen said the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was created by the United States and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at a function in Sunamganj on Friday, the Foreign Minister said, “RAB was created by the United States and the United Kingdom. They trained this force. The USA taught them Rules and Engagement - how to deal with people and how to interrogate."
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, on December 10, the United States imposed sanctions on Benazir Ahmed and six current RAB officials for alleged "grave" human rights violations. Twelve international human rights groups have called for the RAB to be banned from participating in UN peacekeeping missions, Human Rights Watch reported on Thursday.
The Foreign Minister said, "The US State Department acknowledged that we have reduced terrorism here because of the RAB. The foreigners have taken a stand against the RAB after receiving one-sided information."
The minister argued that there were some deaths in law enforcement agencies in all countries. Something has happened in Bangladesh too. The number of such incidents was more in the past, but it happens rarely now. Even after that, when such a death occurs, there is a judicial investigation."
Praising RAB, the Minister said, "RAB has gained skills through its work in Bangladesh. They are very effective, very efficient. They are not corrupt either. That is why they have gained the trust of the people. Due to them, terrorist activities in our country have decreased. In the last few years, there has been no terrorist activity since the Holey Artisan attack. This has been possible because of RAB. Some people who don't like law and order, and who like terrorism or drugs are complaining to foreigners against the RAB."
The Minister also spoke about the faults of the RAB at that time. He said, "In our country, RAB has done injustice in two cases. Judicial trial of those incidents are going on. They are also being punished. If the RAB has any weakness in the Rules of Engagement, any weakness, if there is any human rights violation in this Rules of Engagement, we will definitely give new training there. But a sudden ban on any individual is not fair."
