Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday blamed a section of Bangladeshis for US sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and seven of its current and former officers.

“There is nothing to say if group of people defame their own country abroad . . . the sanctions on RAB came as a group of local people worked behind it,” she said.

The prime minister, also the leader of the House, was replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Md. Mujibul Haque of Kishoreganj-3 during PM’s question-answer session.

Read: PM slams sanctions on RAB, calling it ‘despicable’

She mentioned that there are some ……intellectuals or various types of organisations whose only aim is to earn money talking against Bangladesh.

She recalled that after 9/11 attacks the US requested different countries to curb terrorism and following their advice the then BNP government established RAB.

She said that there is no doubt that they (BNP) used RAB indiscriminately.

Hasina, however, said that RAB started working to curb terrorism, militancy, repression of women and proper investigation of series crimes like murder under the rule of the Awami Lague.

She continued that there are some people in the country who stay well whenever any undemocratic government comes to power treating them with special importance.

“When any democratic process continues in the country they engage themselves against it,” she said.

She said that whatever good work is carried out by the government they don’t want to see it, they are always running propaganda against Bangladesh and they have huge complaints against RAB.

The PM told the House that some elements from that vested group went in the USA and filed complaints to the justice department and other places during their meeting.

Read: Sanctions on RAB: Dhaka shares concerns with Washington over possible emergence of radical elements

She also said that no official of the Bangladesh embassy there was allowed in these meetings.

“And the sanctions came that way,” she added.   

The PM said Bangladesh is the only country that takes to task immediately if anyone from RAB commits anything unfair. “Even a son-in-law of a minister who was an army officer was not spared; rather he was brought under trial, We didn’t pardon him, rather gave punishment,” she said.

She made it clear that the Awami League government doesn't allow any unjust acts by anyone no matter how powerful they are.

Sheikh Hasina mentioned that there are some groups of people in the country – such as intellectuals or various types of organisations and their job is to earn money by talking against Bangladesh.