Staff Reporter: The US Congressman’s misleading press release regarding the imposition of US sanctions on Bangladesh and Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has been removed from the website of the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC. At a luncheon in Queens, New York, on January 31, Gregory W. Meeks, a US congressman and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made a positive statement about the US sanctions on Bangladesh. The controversial press release was removed from the embassy’s website after a storm of criticism at home and abroad.
On Friday (February 4), US Congressman Gregory W. Meeks published a statement on the website of the US House of Foreign Committee explaining his remarks regarding the imposition of US sanctions on Bangladesh and Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). At a luncheon at a Queens restaurant in New York on January 31, expatriate journalist and editor of the US media Bangla Press, Chhabed Sathee wrote a letter on Facebook asking Congressman Gregory W. Meeks to comment on the US sanctions on Bangladesh. The next day, after receiving the letter, he gave a clear explanation of his statement in a statement published on the website of the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee.
In a statement issued Friday (February 4), Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement concerning the designation of the Rapid Action Batallion:
“I believe sanctions can be most useful when they are targeted and don’t believe wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh are currently warranted. However, I strongly support the Biden Administration’s designation of the Rapid Action Battalion and several of its current and former members under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act for human rights violations. I continue to support the strengthening of the US-Bangladesh relationship and look forward to working to help address human rights and democracy challenges in the country, including ensuring that the country’s next elections are free and fair.”
In response to Congressman Gregory’s keynote address the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC sent a misleading press release to various newspapers, influencing some of the leaders and activists of the Awami League and influencing the officials of the Bangladesh Embassy. Gregory W. Meeks chairman of the US Congress and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, hastened to make Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina happy by attracting the attention of some US Awami League leaders and activists. After this news was published, there was a storm of criticism at home and abroad. As a result, the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington deleted the notification from their website. Congressman Gregory, on the other hand, was forced to give an accurate explanation of his statement.
On the morning of February 2, Bangla Press sent a letter to AZM Sajjad Hossain, the Press Minister of Bangladesh Embassy in Washington. The letter asks that many people have raised questions about the veracity of the press release / news item titled ‘United States does not want to impose any sanctions against Bangladesh’ sent by you on the night of 31st January. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Many have also questioned the veracity of Congressman Meeks news. At the event, Congressman Meeks did not say much about US sanctions, but in a press release, the United States did not want to impose sanctions on Bangladesh. We want to make sure that we do not impose any sanctions against Bangladesh. It has been mentioned that we are still working with the government and people of Bangladesh. Do you have any videos in support of this report? Will be obliged to give details in this regard. But the embassy authorities did not reply to the letter.
Morshed Alam a former joint general secretary and community leader of the Awami League and one of the organizers of the event, was also asked to send a text message on February 2 to verify the veracity of Congressman Meeks statement. But none of the Awami League leaders and activists including Morshed Alam gave the correct answer.
BP/SM
