Three NGOs Behind Sanctions on Seven Officials with False Information

Opinion

The United States has imposed sanctions on seven officials of Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies. In response, Bangladesh has urged the U.S. State Department to withdraw the sanctions. The State Department is currently re-evaluating the matter, and multiple sources have confirmed the discovery of significant and alarming information during the review.

The sanctions were imposed in connection with the death of Ekramul Haque, a municipal councilor from Cox’s Bazar. A formal complaint was filed regarding this incident, prompting the U.S. human rights division to reach out to Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). However, the NHRC did not respond.

In November 2020, the U.S. administration sent a detailed letter to the NHRC seeking information on the matter, but no reply was provided. As a result, the U.S. entrusted three non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), Odhikar, and BLAST—with the responsibility of investigating the incident.

BLAST primarily relied on media reports and cited newspapers like Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in its findings.

Odhikar conducted its own investigation and alleged that senior officials were involved in the incident, ultimately accusing seven officials.

However, questions arise regarding the timing and involvement. At the time of the incident, RAB’s director general was the current Inspector General of Police, Dr. Benazir Ahmed. If he were held responsible, how could RAB’s current director general also be accused? The two never simultaneously held the position of RAB director general, indicating a targeted agenda.

Additionally, RAB had formed an internal investigation committee regarding the incident, which was not mentioned in the reports of ASK, Odhikar, or BLAST. This omission led to one-sided accusations.

The NGO Odhikar specifically named the seven officials in its report. Odhikar had previously claimed, during the Hefazat-e-Islam protests in 2013, that “thousands” of Hefazat activists were killed—a report later proven false.

The organization’s head, Advocate Adilur Rahman, is known to be aligned with the BNP and previously served as a Deputy Attorney General under the BNP-Jamaat coalition government. Odhikar is primarily funded and operated with the support of the BNP-Jamaat alliance.

Accusations of receiving foreign funds through the NGO Affairs Bureau to conduct misleading and politically motivated investigations are longstanding against Odhikar.

Meanwhile, ASK based its findings solely on interviews with Ekramul’s family and did not include RAB’s version of events.

The entire sanctioning process appears to have been based on misinformation provided by the three NGOs. Many believe that such confusion could have been avoided if Bangladesh’s authorities had proactively shared accurate information.