‘US doesn’t want to impose any embargo against Bangladesh’

Influential US Congressman and Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Gregory W Meeks on Tuesday said that they do not want to impose any sanctions against Bangladesh.

“We want to make sure that we are not (imposing any sanctions) against Bangladesh and we are still working with the government and people of Bangladesh,” he told a fundraising luncheon function at a restaurant at the Queens area in New York.

He said that there is an excellent relationship between the United States and Bangladesh.

Meeks, also a prominent lawyer, has been a US representative Democratic Party from New York since 1998 and serving as the chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs since 2021.

We are not imposing any embargo against Bangladesh. The sanctions were imposed on some individuals of an organization, not the entire organization. We are looking into the scenario there, he added.

The US Congressman also replied to a question about a vested quarter, who is strongly lobbying from inside and outside Bangladesh, for imposing sanctions against more officials and the politicians as well.

“We will not do it as per their words, it’s not possible, and we’ll take the right steps after scrutinizing all things,” he said.

Meeks said that he will visit Bangladesh this year to see the human rights situation and other issues.

“I will talk to the State Department and Congress Sub-Committee on the Asia-Pacific, if necessary we’ll arrange a hearing in the Congress on Bangladesh issues,” he said.

Known for his compassionate and tenacious representation of his constituents, and his coalition-building skills, Chairman Meeks proudly serves the constituents of New York’s Fifth Congressional District, which is a major Bangladeshi American concentration.

ARR