US Lawmakers Urge Sanctions on Bangladeshi Officials Amid Rights Abuses Following Hasina’s Exit

WASHINGTON – Several U.S. lawmakers have called for sanctions against Bangladeshi officials who served under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following her recent resignation and flight from the country. Meanwhile, the U.S. government has officially welcomed the installation of a new caretaker government in Bangladesh.

An interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on Thursday, with the mandate to organize elections in the South Asian nation.

Bangladesh has been embroiled in unrest since student-led protests last month, initially sparked by opposition to quotas that allocated a significant portion of government jobs to specific groups. The protests quickly escalated into a broader movement demanding Hasina’s ouster. Hasina, who secured a controversial fourth consecutive term in January, in an election boycotted by the opposition and criticized by the U.S. State Department as neither free nor fair, ultimately resigned after a brutal crackdown on demonstrations left over 300 people dead, many of them students.

“The Bangladeshi leaders who orchestrated this brutal crackdown must be held accountable,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “That is why we are calling on the administration to sanction General Secretary Quader and Home Affairs Minister Khan, as we continue working to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh.”

Van Hollen was referring to Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who served as Hasina’s home minister, and Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of Hasina’s Awami League party. In a letter co-signed by five other congressional Democrats, Senator Van Hollen urged U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to impose sanctions on these officials. The State Department has not indicated any immediate actions related to sanctions.

Separately, Secretary Blinken expressed support for the new interim government, saying, “I welcome the swearing-in of Dr. Muhammad Yunus to lead the interim government in Bangladesh. The United States supports his call for calm and peace,” in a statement on social media.

Human rights organizations have long accused Hasina of using excessive force against protesters, a charge she consistently denied. Since her departure, the protests have broadened, with demonstrators now demanding the removal of more officials appointed during her tenure.

Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi after stepping down, marking the end of her uninterrupted 15-year rule over the country of 170 million people. Her fall from power has led to both celebration and violence, with her official residence being attacked, statues of her father being torn down, and reports of attacks against minority communities.