US rules out RAB ban withdrawal

The United States Department of State has ruled out the possibility of lifting the sanctions against Bangladesh's elite-force RAB.

Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State Vedant Patel made the US government's position clear in response to a question during Department's regular press briefing on May 16, 2024.

A journalist pointed out that after the meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu, who paid two-day visit to Bangladesh, an adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh told newsmen that the White House and the US State Department were very serious about lifting the ban on Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

Responding to the question Mr. Patel said: "These claims are false. The US is not lifting sanctions on RAB."

He further said the purpose of the ban is to encourage a change in the behaviours and support accountability in RAB.

Donald Lu attended a dinner hosted on Tuesday by Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F. Rahman in Dhaka.

Responding to a question from local reporters at a news briefing regarding the US ban on RAB, Mr. Salman F. Rahman said, "White House and the US State Department are very serious about lifting the ban on Bangladesh's RAB."

He further said the White House and the State Department were working on the issue.

Earlier, Mr. Donald Lu, during his visit to Dhaka, said RAB made improvements.

As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is cooperating in this respect, he said, adding that the Foreign Office informed the Law Department that the RAB had improved.