Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the United States to steer away from punishing the people of the whole world in a bid to punish one country.

"The US has put a number of sanctions on Russia which is ultimately affecting the global economy," the prime minister made the call on Thursday (7 July) during the inauguration of the newly constructed 8-storey office building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

She also awarded the "Bangabandhu Medal for Diplomatic Excellence" during that event.

Sheikh Hasina also said that Bangladesh will give importance not only to politics but also to economic diplomacy as the world has turned into a global village.

"It is a matter of great regret that amid the coronavirus pandemic which has already put the whole world in a crisis the Russia-Ukraine war began," said the prime minister. 

The war has affected the whole world. Also, the sanctions put on Russia by the US has affected the procurement and import of products in Bangladesh as well as disrupted the supply chain, said the premier.

She said that not only other countries but the people of the US are also being affected by the sanctions, so the country should consider this and withdraw the sanctions.

"A country cannot be controlled with sanctions", said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas, she said it is difficult for the 16 crore people of Bangladesh to bear the burden of the Rohingya population. The prime minister thus called upon the developed countries to take initiative for repatriating the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

On 25 February, the US government joined European countries in slapping several sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as Western nations sought to increase pressure on Moscow to halt its invasion of Ukraine.

Within a couple of days of the Ukraine strike on 24 February, the West froze much of Russia's $640b foreign exchange reserve.

Russia needed cash while Europe needs Russian gas. So, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked foreign buyers to pay energy export receipts in its own currency rouble effective from 1 April, or risk gas supplies being cut off to "unfriendly" countries.

On 14 March, the US Department of State announced the imposition of sanctions again 11 high-ranking representatives of the Russian forces and military-industrial complex.

On 31 March, the United States imposed sanctions on Russia, targeting the technology sector, a sanctions evasion network and what it called "malicious cyber actors" while paving the way to act against additional sectors.

The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 21 entities and 13 people, including Joint Stock Company Mikron, Russia's largest chipmaker and manufacturer and exporter of microelectronics.

On 6 April, the US targeted Russian banks and elites with a new package of sanctions that includes banning any American from investing in Russia.