Normal Aziz Ahmed castoffs US sanctions, cites unfounded allegations

In a putting flip of occasions, former Bangladesh military chief Normal (retd) Aziz Ahmed publicly rejected the allegations made by US authorities that led to the imposition of sanctions in opposition to him and his instant relations. Talking from his dwelling in Bangladesh, Normal Aziz expressed his astonishment and dismay over the sanctions, which come practically three years after his retirement.

“I’m shocked. Why am I being sanctioned nearly three years after retirement? I’m not concerned in any form of politics and enterprise,” Aziz stated in an interview with the media. The US State Division’s announcement, made earlier that day, cited Aziz’s involvement in important corruption, together with interfering in public processes to help his brother in evading accountability for legal exercise, improperly awarding army contracts, and accepting bribes for presidency appointments.

Aziz vehemently denied these accusations, drawing consideration to a earlier Al Jazeera report titled “All of the Prime Minister’s Males,” which made related allegations. “Many, together with civil society members, termed them baseless, false, and fabricated,” he asserted. Highlighting his tenure as director common of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for 4 years and armed forces chief for 3 years, Aziz maintained that he didn’t help his brothers in securing any contracts throughout that point.

The US sanctions, introduced on Could 20, 2024, make Aziz and his instant relations usually ineligible for entry into the USA. The sanctions fall below Part 7031(c) of the annual Division of State, International Operations, and Associated Applications Appropriations Act, aimed toward addressing important corruption and gross violations of human rights. US State Division Spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasised that Aziz’s actions undermined Bangladesh’s democratic establishments and the general public’s belief in these establishments.

Responding to those claims, Aziz supplied an in depth timeline of occasions associated to the procurement of army {hardware}, asserting that the method was practically full earlier than he assumed the position of military chief on June 25, 2018. “It’s fairly unrealistic I might be concerned within the course of simply inside a day after taking workplace,” he acknowledged, dismissing any allegations of his involvement within the procurement of spy ware throughout his tenure.

Aziz additionally downplayed the non-public affect of the sanctions, noting that neither he nor his instant relations had important connections to the USA. “My son will not be learning within the US. I’ve not been to the US for remedy, and I don’t have any plan to go to the US… Who desires to take a 26-hour journey to the US until it’s mandatory?” he remarked, indicating his disinterest in future visits to the nation.

He recommended that his visibility from the Al Jazeera report may need made him a handy goal for the sanctions. “They wanted to slap sanctions on somebody who’s a recognized face. I’m that individual as they noticed me on Al Jazeera,” he speculated. Aziz additional implied that being a retired army determine with out present affect made him a much less controversial selection for sanctions, believing the US thought the Bangladeshi authorities wouldn’t defend him.

Regardless of his dismissal of the US actions, Aziz expressed concern about public notion in Bangladesh, emphasizing his main concern over how his fellow residents view him. “I don’t care about what they consider me. I solely care about what the folks of my nation consider me,” he affirmed.

The imposition of sanctions on Aziz Ahmed adopted shortly after a go to by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, to Bangladesh. Throughout his go to, Lu expressed US help for Bangladesh’s anti-corruption efforts, although he confronted contradictions concerning potential modifications to present sanctions on Bangladesh’s Speedy Motion Battalion (RAB). Whereas Bangladeshi officers recommended that Lu hinted at a potential withdrawal of sanctions in opposition to RAB, US State Division officers later clarified that the sanctions would stay in place, supposed to vary conduct and promote accountability.

This isn’t the primary time the US has sanctioned Bangladeshi officers for alleged misconduct. On December 10, 2021, the US Treasury Division imposed sanctions on the Speedy Motion Battalion (RAB) and a number of other of its officers for critical human rights violations. Amongst these sanctioned have been present and former RAB chiefs and different high-ranking officers, indicating a continued US concentrate on accountability inside Bangladeshi regulation enforcement and army establishments.

Normal Aziz’s sturdy denial of the corruption allegations and his critique of the US sanctions underscore the complexity and stress in US-Bangladesh relations concerning governance and human rights. Because the state of affairs unfolds, it stays to be seen how these developments will have an effect on Bangladesh’s home politics and its diplomatic relations with the USA.