Are Western nations honest about Bangladesh’s drive in opposition to corruption and Kleptocracy?

In January 2009, when the Awami League got here to energy by way of a landslide victory in December’s normal elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina noticed terrorism and militancy as key components threatening the safety of your entire area. Throughout the 2001-2006 rule of the Al Qaeda-connected Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP) and its coalition associate—the pro-Islamist and pro-Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) – the nation had change into a protected haven for terrorists and jihadists.

Inside a few weeks of assuming workplace, Sheikh Hasina declared an all-out battle in opposition to terrorism and militancy, the place the nation’s regulation enforcement and safety companies, together with the elite pressure Fast Motion Battalion (RAB), performed a honest function in efficiently eliminating hideouts of those infamous parts, thus saving Bangladesh from changing into one other Afghanistan. Sheikh Hasina’s success in combating terrorism has been applauded by the worldwide group, together with america.

Nonetheless, at a later stage, Washington, alongside some doubtful NGOs accused of working as mere mercenaries for his or her funders in implementing secret blueprints, started an orchestrated marketing campaign particularly concentrating on RAB, branding it a violator of human rights. On December 10, 2021, the US Division of the Treasury imposed sanctions on a number of officers of RAB for “widespread allegations of great human rights abuse”, which went in opposition to Bangladesh’s willpower and dedication to combating terrorism for the sake of nationwide, regional, and worldwide safety. At this juncture, a number of NGOs accused of being utilized by Western nations to destabilize focused international locations started a well-orchestrated propaganda marketing campaign favoring these sanctions.

Though these stunning sanctions concentrating on RAB enormously demoralized its members regardless of the elite pressure’s efficient function in combating terrorism, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remained undeterred in persevering with her drive in opposition to terrorism and violent extremism as a part of her dedication to defending Bangladesh from falling into the grips of those rogue parts.

Two years later, although Washington in its ‘Nation Terrorism Report 2022’ applauded Sheikh Hasina’s zero tolerance for terrorism, it has not but withdrawn the sanctions on RAB.

In the meantime, on March 21, 2023, US President Joe Biden in a letter to Sheikh Hasina applauded “Bangladesh’s demonstrated dedication to defending essentially the most susceptible as the biggest contributor to peacekeeping operations” and praised her for setting an “instance for the world of empathy and generosity” by opening its arms and welcoming greater than 1.2 million Rohingyas from Myanmar. Though Biden pledged to “discover long-term options to the Rohingya refugee disaster and maintain perpetrators of atrocities accountable”, Washington has carried out nothing besides supply mere lip service.

In the meantime, the US administration particularly, in addition to its European allies, are persevering with to exert direct and oblique stress on Bangladesh by bringing allegations of corruption and kleptocracy, calling for an enormous drive in opposition to corruption, cash laundering, and black cash. They’re even not directly threatening to impose sanctions on numerous people, organizations, and establishments if discovered concerned in corruption and cash laundering.

On this case too, America and its European allies, together with Britain, are clearly taking part in a double normal. For instance, whereas there are lots of of allegations in opposition to Bangladeshi residents shopping for properties and investing in companies in america and Britain, the authorities involved of the respective international locations are turning a blind eye to crucial level – how these quantities have entered these international locations.

In reality, America, Britain, Canada, Australia, and European Union nations have a rogue tradition of letting cash launderers, criminals, gangsters, corrupt people, and even terrorists function inside their borders.

A big variety of corrupt people from Asian nations, together with Bangladesh, launder a considerable portion of their ill-gotten cash to Western international locations, particularly the US, Britain, and Canada. These nations, regardless of their stringent anti-corruption rhetoric, typically flip a blind eye to the inflow of illicit funds, thus enabling the perpetuation of corruption and monetary crimes globally.

For Bangladesh authorities, the neatest transfer in launching a drive in opposition to corruption, black cash, and cash laundering can be to subject letters to the authorities involved in america, United Kingdom, European Union nations, Canada, and Australia asking them to supply info on Bangladeshi nationals or Bangladesh-born residents of these international locations proudly owning properties or investments in companies. As soon as these letters are despatched, Bangladesh could reveal this info by way of a press convention by inviting native and worldwide media. This ought to be step one.

Secondly, it’s as much as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to determine if her authorities is prepared to launch an enormous drive in opposition to corruption and black cash all through the nation with the agency willpower of displaying zero tolerance to the perpetrators of such monetary crimes.

To decisively fight corruption, black cash, and cash laundering, the Bangladeshi authorities should take daring and clear actions. Issuing formal requests to authorities in america, United Kingdom, European Union nations, Canada, and Australia for info on Bangladeshi nationals or Bangladesh-born residents proudly owning properties or investments overseas is a vital first step. Publicly disclosing this info by way of a high-profile press convention with native and worldwide media will display Bangladesh’s unwavering dedication to rooting out monetary crimes. This transfer is not going to solely stress different international locations to cooperate but additionally expose the worldwide networks enabling corruption and illicit monetary flows.

In the end, it’s incumbent upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to spearhead a nationwide, relentless crackdown on corruption and black cash. A zero-tolerance coverage have to be enforced with unwavering willpower, concentrating on all ranges of perpetrators. Failure to deal with the rampant corruption and cash laundering undermines the nation’s financial stability and jeopardizes the numerous achievements of the Awami League authorities. Drawing classes from previous anti-corruption efforts, the federal government should be certain that this drive stays impervious to exterior influences and inner corruption. Solely by way of such resolute and sustained actions can Bangladesh hope to beat the present inflation and monetary disaster, fortifying its financial future and safeguarding the prosperity of its individuals.

Addressing corruption and cash laundering head-on is just not solely important for Bangladesh’s stability and progress but additionally affords a novel alternative for the Awami League authorities and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to solidify their legacy as champions of reform and progress. Such a drive would affirm their dedication to the nation’s prosperity and safe their place in historical past as transformative leaders.