Former Bangladesh Army Chief Hit With US Sanctions Over Corruption Allegations
The United States imposed sanctions on Bangladesh‘s former army chief, Retired General Aziz Ahmed, and his family over allegations of “significant corruption.” The sanctions stated that Ahmed’s actions undermined Bangladesh’s democratic institutions and the public’s faith in public institutions and processes.
During a weekly press briefing on Monday, Mathew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, stated, “General Aziz Ahmed engaged in significant corruption by interfering in public processes while helping his brother evade accountability for criminal activity in Bangladesh.”
According to Miller, “Aziz also worked closely with his brother to ensure the improper awarding of military contracts and accepted bribes in exchange for government appointments for his benefit.” The sanctions render Aziz and his family members generally ineligible for entry into the United States. Aziz Ahmed assumed the Chief of Army Staff role in June 2018 and retired in June 2021.
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This is not the first time the United States has imposed such sanctions on Bangladeshi citizens. Earlier in 2021, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary force, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), as well as seven of its officers due to serious human rights violations. The United States alleged that “RAB found guilty in over six extrajudicial killings and was responsible for the forced disappearance and torture of more than 600 individuals between 2009 and 2021.”
Bangladesh, officially known as the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, is a South Asian country bordered by India to the west, north, and east, Myanmar to the southeast, and the Bay of Bengal to the south. With a population of over 160 million people, it is the eighth-most populous country in the world.
Bangladesh’s creation in 1971 stemmed from a complex history of political, cultural, and linguistic tensions between East and West Pakistan. Following independence from British rule in 1947, the region was divided into India and Pakistan. Pakistan was split into two geographically and culturally distinct regions: West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
The country has made significant strides in economic development, particularly in the textile and garment industry, which is a substantial contributor to its GDP.
