US lawmakers push for sanctions on Bangladeshi officials after right abuses

Some members of the US Congress have called for sanctions against Bangladeshi officials associated with Sheikh Hasina, who recently resigned as prime minister and fled the country. Meanwhile, the US government has welcomed the establishment of a new caretaker government in Bangladesh.

The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on Thursday with the mandate to oversee upcoming elections. Bangladesh has been gripped by protests and violence following student-led demonstrations against quotas that allocated a large portion of government jobs to specific groups. These protests evolved into a broader movement demanding the removal of Hasina, who secured a fourth consecutive term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition and criticised by the US State Department as neither free nor fair.

Hasina’s departure followed a violent crackdown on demonstrators that resulted in the deaths of at least 300 people, many of whom were students.

US Senator Van Hollen, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated, "The Bangladeshi leaders who orchestrated this brutal crackdown must be held accountable," and urged sanctions against former Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of Hasina's Awami League party.

Van Hollen, along with five other Democratic lawmakers, sent a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, advocating for sanctions on these officials. The State Department has not commented on potential sanctions.

Secretary Blinken expressed his support for the new interim government, led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, on social media, endorsing his appeal for calm and peace. Human rights organisations had previously accused Hasina of using excessive force against protesters, allegations she denied.

Following Hasina’s departure, the student protests have expanded, now calling for the removal of more officials appointed during her tenure. Hasina fled to New Delhi, ending her 15-year rule over Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people. Her fall from power has led to both celebrations and violence, including attacks on her official residence, the destruction of statues of her father, and reported violence against minority communities.