Letter from 6 US Congressmen to sanction Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman khan

Six members of the US Congress have called for sanctions against Awami League General Secretary and Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

They wrote a letter to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Finance Minister Yellen about the recent events including the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, human rights violations, and the student-public movement that followed the protests demanding reform of the quota system.

In the letter, these legislators expressed deep concern over the human rights violations of the Sheikh Hasina government. The members of Congress who signed the letter are Lloyd Doggett, Edward J. Markey, William R. Keating, Chris Vaughn Hollen, James P. McGovern, and Al Green.

In this letter written last Wednesday, these members of both houses of Congress - Senate and House of Representatives said that they are deeply concerned about the violation of human rights by the Hasina government. On July 15, Awami League deployed members of the police and paramilitary forces to quell the peaceful protests against the unfair quota system in government jobs.Over the next week, law enforcement used disproportionate and illegal force against protesting students. Fired rubber bullets, pellets, sound grenades, tear gas shells and live ammunition.

These legislators also said that these incidents are part of the repression carried out by Awami League against dissidents on a wide scale. The party's leaders were not held accountable for their own human rights violations. Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned, the need for her accountability remains.

In such a context, Congress members called for specific sanctions against Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan under all applicable laws, including the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The letter mentions that after the violent crackdown on July 15, Sheikh Hasina imposed a nationwide curfew. Internet connection is stopped. The UN Human Rights Council considers this a violation of international human rights law.The two forces responsible for most of the violence in the movement—police and border guard Bangladesh. Asaduzzaman Khan is responsible for this as the former Home Minister.
Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader sent Chhatra League to attack the peaceful protesters. He also ordered to shoot on sight. At least 200 people lost their lives in the violence. Several thousand were injured. The actual death toll is probably much higher. In addition, police arrested more than 10,000 people, including student movement leaders; Accused two lakh people on various charges. In the words of Amnesty International, it was a 'witch hunt'.Human Rights Watch warns that Bangladeshi authorities may once again become involved in extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances.

Congress members said that when the movement started demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League brutally suppressed the protesters on August 4. Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan once again instigated members of the law enforcement agencies and the Chhatra League to attack the peaceful protesters. About 100 people were killed that day due to the resulting violence.About 100 people were killed that day due to the resulting violence. Sheikh Hasina again imposed curfew across the country and the communication system was shut down. In this, Bangladeshi-Americans lost contact with their relatives once again.

It is mentioned in the letter, the Nobel laureate led by the current interim government of Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus urgently called on world leaders to take action to end violence against protesters.
Former army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan urged the government to refrain from using the law and order forces for 'dishonourable activities'. Although Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country, the senior leaders of Awami League did not face any consequences for widespread human rights violations.

These lawmakers also said that US sanctions against the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have brought success in stopping extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh. But this is not enough in present reality. We call on Awami League to give a strong response to the human rights violations by imposing specific sanctions on Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman and exercising all applicable powers. In the wake of widespread human rights abuses, action is required under US law.