EU, UK sanction dozens of Iranian officials over rights abuses
Al JazeeraMAR 28 2023
Sanctions against the RAB are immoral and illegitimate. The group has protected Bangladesh against terrorism for 18 years and, as an elite security force, it's entirely within its rights to handle sensitive and potentially deadly cases as it sees fit. The sanctions club Bangladesh with human rights violators like North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran, which could profoundly affect Bangladesh's status as the third most peaceful country in South Asia.
It may hide behind a veil of legitimacy, but the RAB is no different from global militant groups who kill and quash human rights at their discretion, without any accountability. The so-called security force is a de facto death squad, that has roamed the streets of Bangladesh and operated with impunity for decades. Mere whispering of its initials brings chills down the spines of activists and political rivals. The US sanctions are justified, as crossfires have become synonymous with extra-judicial killings in Bangladesh.