Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday slammed the US sanctions on officials of the country’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) over alleged rights abuse, saying the move was “very condemnable act”.

Hasina said the elite force has immensely contributed to the country’s efforts in containing militancy and terrorism, Xinhua reported. According to Xinhua, Hasina said Bangladesh takes legal action against any law enforcement agency members including those from RAB if they are found involved in any criminal act.

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Earlier, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the allegations of gross rights violations by the anti-crime elite police unit were not “based on facts” and RAB was a disciplined institution that instead “has been securing human rights for the people of Bangladesh,” as per Xinhua.

In December last year, the US Departments of Treasury and the Department of State imposed human rights-related sanctions on RAB and seven incumbent and former top officials of the elite force.