They needed to sanction someone and picked me
Former army chief Gen (retd) Aziz Ahmed yesterday rejected the allegations the US authorities made while imposing sanctions against him and his immediate family members.
"I am surprised. Why am I being sanctioned almost three years after retirement? I'm not involved in any kind of politics and business," he told The Daily Star in an interview last night, hours after the US state department announced the sanctions.
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The US state department in a release said Aziz's actions contributed to the undermining of Bangladesh's democratic institutions and the people's faith in public institutions and processes; he engaged in significant corruption by interfering in public processes to help his brother evade accountability for criminal activity; he worked closely with his brother to ensure the improper awarding of military contracts; and he accepted bribes in exchange for government appointments for his personal benefit.
Aziz said Al Jazeera in a report titled "All the Prime Minister's Men" had made similar allegations, and many, including civil society members, termed them "baseless, false and fabricated".
"I served as the director general of the BGB for four years and as the army chief for three years. I didn't help any of my brothers secure contacts during those years…. If anyone can prove that corruption took place in buying spyware [during that period], I would be ready to face any consequences."
The former army chief said that almost the entire process to have military hardware was completed between December 29, 2016, and June 26, 2018.
"Coincidently, I took charge as army chief on June 25. I was not involved in the process. It is quite unrealistic I would be involved in the process just within a day after taking office."
He, however, said the sanctions against him will not affect him anyway as his son is not studying in the US.
Aziz said he had not been to the US for treatment. He said he visited the North American country five to six times.
"Right now, I don't have any plan to visit the US... Who wants to take a 26-hour trip to the US unless it's necessary?"
He went on to say, "They needed to slap sanctions on someone who is a known face. I am that person as they saw me on Al Jazeera. Maybe that's why they have imposed sanctions on me.
"They also might have thought that Aziz Ahmed could be sanctioned as he is a retired person and doesn't have any influence on anyone and the government will not back him."
He added, "I don't care about what they think of me. I only care about what the people of my country think of me."
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