FROM PAGE 1
may figure prominently in the discussions during the visit.
The issue of the election is considered crucial, especially after the US on May 24 announced a policy that said it won’t issue visas to the Bangladeshis found complicit in vote rigging or intimidation in the election process.
Earlier in 2021, the US imposed sanctions on Rab and a few of its senior officials and also did not invite Bangladesh to President Biden’s democracy summits in 2021 and 2023.
The US has long been critical of the 2014 and 2018 elections on account of alleged vote rigging.
Suspending GSP facilities for Bangladesh after the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, Washington has also been critical of the labour rights issues, including union rights, living wage and more.
A foreign ministry official said Bangladesh may request Uzra Zeya to withdraw sanctions on Rab and its officials. Earlier this year, the US said Rab made progress in terms of curbing extrajudicial killings, especially since the sanctions were imposed.
A diplomatic source said that while Bangladesh has been making progress under various initiatives since the Rana Plaza, the recent murder of trade union leader Shahidul Islam has complicated things, and so the issue of may come up during the delegation’s visit.
On Wednesday, US Ambassador Peter Haas visited the headquarters of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation and called on the Bangladesh authorities to investigate the murder thoroughly and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Rafiqul Islam, acting director of the foreign ministry’s publicity wing, at a regular media briefing yesterday, said European Union Human Rights Affairs’ Special Representative Eamon Gilmore will also visit Bangladesh later this month.
PEACEKEEPERS TO RETURN FROM MALI
Meanwhile, around 1,700 Bangladeshi peacekeepers stationed in Mali will be coming back home by December this year, Rafiqul said.
The decision, taken by the UN Security Council, came after the Malian government wanted the UN peacekeepers to be withdrawn from its country.
Since 2013, Bangladeshi peacekeepers – both from Bangladesh Armed Forces and Bangladesh Police -- have been involved in the mission.
US, EU politicians interfering in Bangladesh: Russia
FROM PAGE 1
of 2018 and 2014, citing alleged vote rigging and irregularities.
On May 25, six US Republican congressmen wrote to US President Joe Biden, calling for urgent actions to stop the “human rights abuses” by the Bangladesh government and “give the people of Bangladesh the best possible chance for free and fair parliamentary elections”.
On June 13, six representatives of Congress from the Democratic party wrote to the US secretary of state calling for actions to ensure free and fair parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
On June 12, six Members of European Parliament also asked the EU High Representative Joseph Borrell to contribute to ensuring free, fair, and impartial general elections in Bangladesh, “possibly under a poll-time neutral caretaker government”.
The animosity between the US and Russia got worse following Russian invasion of Ukraine, which had a rippling impact across the globe.
The US and EU also imposed sanctions against many Russian entities.
Bangladesh also faces difficulties in paying Russia for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.