International Desk

Six US lawmakers have urged their Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen to impose targeted sanctions on Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for their alleged roles in severe human rights violations.

They made the request in a joint letter on 8 August, mentioning recent developments in Bangladesh in detail, and expressing serious concerns over human rights violations by the former government led by Awami League.

The signatories are Representative Lloyd Doggett, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Representative James P McGovern, Representative William R Keating, Representative Al Green, and Senator Edward Markey .

“Now is the time for bold action, not just another tepid expression of concern. Our support of fundamental human rights must apply to those in countries with which we have a friendly relationship as much as to those with which we do not,” said Doggett.

“While greatly encouraged by the naming of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead the new interim government, those responsible for so much recent repression and so many deaths should be sanctioned.”

“The use of violent force against peaceful protesters exercising their freedom of expression is an unacceptable violation of human rights. The Bangladeshi leaders who orchestrated this brutal crackdown must be held accountable, which is why we’re calling upon the administration to sanction general secretary Quader and home affairs minister Khan, as we continue working to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh,” said senator Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “On 15 July, the ruling Awami League deployed the police and paramilitary forces to suppress students peacefully protesting unfair quotas in government jobs. Over the next week, security forces used disproportionate, unlawful force and fired rubber bullets, pellet guns, sound grenades, tear gas, and live rounds against student protestors."

"These violations were part of a broader crackdown on dissent by the Awami League, whose leaders have not been held to account for their human rights abuses. Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned, the need for accountability remains. We urge you to impose targeted sanctions on the Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan under all applicable authorities, including the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.”

The lawmakers continued, “As Home Affairs Minister, Khan bears responsibility for the conduct of the police and Border Guard Bangladesh, the two agencies responsible for most of the violence. General Secretary Quader, meanwhile, sent the Awami League's student wing, the Chhatra League, to attack peaceful protesters and issued “shoot-on-sight” orders. It is estimated that at least 200 people were killed and thousands injured, with the real figures likely much higher.”