[🇧🇩] UN investigation into enforced disappearances /deaths of students/citizens at the hands of security agencies

[Saif]

Punishing perpetrators of 'Enforced Disappearance'

Since the inception of civilisation, enforced disappearance has been a dark tool wielded by oppressive rulers to silence dissent. From ancient regimes to modern authoritarian governments, it has served as a weapon to eliminate opposition voices without due process. While history tells us this story

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Punishing perpetrators of 'Enforced Disappearance'
MIR MOSTAFIZUR RAHAMAN
Published :
Nov 06, 2024 23:42
Updated :
Nov 06, 2024 23:42

Since the inception of civilisation, enforced disappearance has been a dark tool wielded by oppressive rulers to silence dissent. From ancient regimes to modern authoritarian governments, it has served as a weapon to eliminate opposition voices without due process. While history tells us this story time and again, it is sad to note that enforced disappearances still plague numerous third-world countries, where justice is often overshadowed by political motives and misuse of power. Bangladesh is a disturbing example of this phenomenon. During the last regime led by the Awami League (AL), enforced disappearance became a regular instrument used to intimidate and silence its opponents, political or otherwise. The victims included politicians, army officers, and human rights activists, who were often abducted by law enforcement agencies, leaving their families with agonising uncertainty.

After the ouster of the AL regime on August 5, many who had been victims of enforced disappearance were released. These individuals returned to tell harrowing tales of their sufferings in secret detention centres, where they endured physical and psychological torture. Their families, who lived with the agony of not knowing their loved ones' fate, also suffered immensely. Such brutality has left deep scars, not only on the victims and their families but also on the social fabric of Bangladesh. As a society, we cannot allow such crimes to remain hidden or go unpunished. It is the responsibility of the interim government, the judicial system, and civil society to seek justice for these victims and ensure that such abuses of power are never repeated.

The recently formed Enquiry Commission on Enforced Disappearances has uncovered eight secret detention centres in and around Dhaka. The findings are shocking: approximately 1,600 complaints have been filed, implicating various law enforcement agencies. Specifically, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was cited in 172 cases, while other complaints linked the police's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, and the Detective Branch of police, among others. The scale of these abuses reveals an alarming breakdown of the rule of law. Rather than protecting citizens, these agencies became instruments of fear and oppression, betraying their mandate to serve and protect the public.

The physical conditions of these detention centres are a testament to the inhumane treatment inflicted on victims. In one cell operated by RAB, detainees were confined in a space measuring a mere 3.5 feet by 4 feet. With no natural light and only an open drain for sanitation, these cells forced individuals to endure extreme discomfort and indignity for years on end. Such facilities were designed not just to detain but to break the human spirit, underscoring the cruelty of enforced disappearance as a state-sanctioned crime.

The commission's findings reveal an even darker reality: evidence of "attempts to destroy evidence" linked to these secret cells. Law enforcement agencies have reportedly been destroying cells, painting over walls, and removing attachments used for torture, essentially erasing any proof of these heinous acts. Such attempts to cover up abuses suggest that those responsible are not only aware of their crimes but are also determined to evade accountability. This obstruction of justice is an insult to the victims and their families and a direct challenge to the ideals of transparency and rule of law.

State-sponsored abduction is a heinous crime. It is a gross violation of human rights and an assault on the very principles of justice. When law enforcement agencies, tasked with upholding the law, engage in enforced disappearances, they betray the trust of the people and undermine the very foundations of society. Exemplary punishment must be ensured for the perpetrators of these crimes. If these atrocities are allowed to go unpunished, future rulers may see enforced disappearance as a viable tool to silence dissent, and the cycle of fear and oppression will continue.

By holding the perpetrators accountable, we must send a powerful message that no one is above the law. This is a crucial step toward healing the wounds inflicted on victims and their families and restoring public trust in state institutions.

It is the responsibility of the government and the judiciary to act decisively in this matter, setting a precedent that enforced disappearance has no place in a society that claims to be governed by the rule of law. Only by addressing this dark chapter openly and honestly can Bangladesh hope to emerge as a just society.​

 

[Saif]

We’ll see the end of enforced disappearances: Asif Nazrul

The government lacks neither the courage nor the sincerity in investigating and prosecuting cases of enforced disappearances, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul has said. Speaking at the opening of the eighth congress of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearance, or AFAD, on Friday at a hotel in

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

We’ll see the end of enforced disappearances: Asif Nazrul
bdnews24.com
Published :
Nov 15, 2024 20:48
Updated :
Nov 15, 2024 20:48

The government lacks neither the courage nor the sincerity in investigating and prosecuting cases of enforced disappearances, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul has said.

Speaking at the opening of the eighth congress of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearance, or AFAD, on Friday at a hotel in Dhaka, Nazrul assured the victims’ families of the government’s unwavering commitment.

He said, “We stand with you. It does not matter what position we hold. Do not doubt our sincerity; all I ask is this.”

“We may have shortcomings in our capabilities, but there is no shortage of our sincerity or courage. We will see this through to the end,” he added.

The advisor described enforced disappearance as an even more heinous crime than murder.

“When a person dies, you know their body is there. But the pain of not knowing whether someone is alive or dead is unbearable,” said Nazrul.

During the event, relatives of the disappeared raised concerns about the lack of progress under the previous government despite promises to investigate.

Nazrul said, “This interim government is different from others. We are all well-established in our respective professions. Our only asset is our ‘reputation’. Therefore, there is no question of repeating the actions of the previous government.”

“Our commitment is certainly stronger than before. No government has formed a commission for the disappeared; we have done so,” he added.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced disappearance worse than murder: Speakers

The speakers said this in the 8th congress of the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearance (AFAD), organised with the help of rights organisation Odhikar, at Hotel Bengal Canary Park in the capital’s Gulshan area today, Friday

en.prothomalo.com

Enforced disappearance worse than murder: Speakers
Staff Correspondent
Dhaka
Published: 15 Nov 2024, 23: 07

Relatives of the victims of enforced disappearances attended the programme with the photos of their dear ones Prothom Alo

If someone is killed, his body could be recovered and the pain of the relatives slowly dies down, the heirs’ could get their share in the property. But no such thing is possible if someone is a victim of enforced disappearance. For years the family members just look for a piece of information regarding that person - whether he is alive or dead. The incidents of enforced disappearances are worse crimes than murder.

The speakers said this in the 8th congress of the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearance (AFAD), organised with the help of rights organisation Odhikar, at Hotel Bengal Canary Park in the capital’s Gulshan area today, Friday.

Odhikar president professor CR Abrar chaired the event where rights defenders from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines and other countries attended.

Relatives of the victims of enforced disappearances were also present at the programme.

Addressing the event, interim government’s law affairs adviser Asif Nazrul said, “Whenever I gaze at the photos of the people who were made victims of enforced disappearances, I realise your sorrows. We are also human beings… I always think how would I feel if my child becomes a victim of enforced disappearance, how would my wife and mother feel if I become a victim of enforced disappearance?”

“Whenever I think of these things, I always think we should bring the families of those people, who order for someone’s enforced disappearance, think of such an act, in these programmes so that they could see what their parents, children or brothers have done. I still believe that enforced disappearance is a worse crime than murder. We can know if a person dies, we could get his body. But this pain is unparalleled. A person does not know whether his relative is alive or not. We surely will consider rehabilitation and compensation of the families of the victims of enforced disappearance.”

Speakers at the 8th congress of the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearance in Dhaka on 15 November 2024 Prothom Alo

The law adviser informed the gathering that the government has formed a very powerful commission to investigate the incidents of enforced disappearance.

He said the commission members have been working tirelessly to deeply investigate the crime and find out the actual perpetrators.

“We are pledge-bound to bring to book the people involved with such crimes. The commission to investigate the incidents of enforced disappearance and International Crimes Tribunal could coordinate in their works. The information to be unveiled by the commission to investigate the incidents of enforced disappearance could be very effective to run the trials at the ICT,” he added.

All types of crimes were committed under the leadership of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the last 15-16 years, remarked Asif Nazrul.

“The root of the party that committed the enforced disappearance, corruption and extrajudicial killings is deeper. Fighting them is a big act, this is not easy. They accumulated strength for over 15 years but we have been working against such a force for just a few weeks. That is why it will take some time to be successful against them,” he added.

Mentioning that continuing this fight is a challenging task, Asif Nazrul said, “We are here not for a long time. But this has to be ensured that the next elected government will continue this fight.”

Speaking at the programme, attorney general Md Asaduzzaman said the children of the victims of enforced disappearance sometimes need to pass days through economic hardships even though they have a good amount of money in bank accounts. They cannot even ask for help from others due to their social position. This is how they too die within slowly.

Stating that an ordinance is required to solve this problem, the AG said, “This has to be done so that the victim families could get the heir’s share of properties as soon as possible.”

He also requested the law adviser to compose such an ordinance that would prioritise the trials of crimes against humanity so that none in the future could muster courage to commit such crimes.

Law adviser Asif Nazrul addresses the event Prothom Alo

Law adviser Asif Nazrul said, “Definitely we will take an initiative to compose such a law. The issues of compensation and other problems will also be addressed in this regard.”

He further asked people not to suspect their goodwill and sincerity about that.

“We are eying every moment”

Sharing her ordeal, Nasreen Jahan Smriti, the wife of BNP leader Ismail Hossain who went missing in 2019, said, “My husband has been subjected to enforced disappearance. Every moment, every minute, every second, we are dying. How many more times will we have to die?”

Nasreen mentioned her financial hardships as she has to support her family, including her children, in the current economic situation. She pleaded, “Please, give us a clue – is he alive or not?”

“We can’t take it anymore. Please help us,” she wailed.

“Justice is our priority”

Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser for the housing and public works ministry, noted that ensuring justice is a priority for the current government. “This is not just for the victims of enforced disappearances but for all the victims of the 15-and-a-half-year-long barbaric and fascist regime.”

He added, “We stood together, we fought together against the fascist. We want express a firm commitment – we will not let the fight end without ensuring justice.”

On the occasion, Professor CR Abrar said the path to justice is not easy, rather shrouded in different types of uncertainty.

“The fallen regime had excessive power, excessive authority, and not all of them have disappeared. Many are still in place. They also have much wealth. They will try to undermine the authority of this public-supported government. Therefore, all need to stay united.”​

 

[Saif]

Commission for travel ban on 22 law enforcers

The Commission for Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has recommended that travel ban should be imposed on 22 members of law enforcement agencies for their alleged involvement in the...

www.newagebd.net

Commission for travel ban on 22 law enforcers
Staff Correspondent 25 November, 2024, 00:23

The Commission for Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has recommended that travel ban should be imposed on 22 members of law enforcement agencies for their alleged involvement in the incidents of enforced disappearance during the now ousted Awami League regime of the past 15 years.

A commission member told New Age that they had given the recommendation to the government in November for the sake of investigation against these officials accused of involvement in enforced disappearances.

The 22 officers belong to the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, Rapid Action Battalion and police.

‘We have to talk to the members of law enforcement agencies for the sake of investigation as the commission has primarily found their involvement in enforced disappearance cases,’ the commission member said.

He said that they could not disclose the date and identities of the law enforcement agencies members.

The commission also asked the government to alert the immigration department in this regard, he added.

When reached for comments on the development, another commission member Nabila Idris said, ‘I neither acknowledge nor deny the matter. We are not disclosing anything to the media for the sake of investigation. We will inform our updates through press conferences.’

News has also spread that these 22 members of the law enforcement agencies have been sacked from their jobs.

Another commission member, Nur Khan Liton, said that the news that the officers’ got the sack was fake.

Bangladesh security forces have not sacked any of their officers and members on the basis of any recommendations of the Commission for Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in the country, said a press release issued by the interim government chief adviser’s press wing on Sunday evening, quoting the commission chairman, justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, as saying.

Addressing the nation on November 17, interim government chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus said that although the Commission for Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances had received over 1,600 complaints till October, he expected the number to exceed over 3,500.

On November 5, the inquiry commission said that it had received complaints regarding enforced disappearance of over 1,600 victims, the incidents of which occurred during the immediate past 15-year rule of the now ousted Awami League.

The complaints came from the enforced disappearance victims and their families from September 15 to October 31.

The commission also found detention centres in eight locations in the compounds of law enforcement and security agency offices, including the joint interrogation cell, popularly known as Aynaghar, on the premises of the Directorate General Forces Intelligence headquarters in the capital, and its surrounding areas.

Nearly 200 victims of enforced disappearance incidents that took place between January 6, 2009 and August 5, 2024 remain still untraced.

Commission members said that most of the 1,400 victims were later framed in cases with allegations of possessing illegal arms and involvement in extremism.

The victims were also sent to jail, sentenced to various jail terms, given death sentence, or granted bail while many cases are still underway.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced disappearances: ‘Hasina herself was involved’

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her defence adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan, and senior police officers Monirul Islam and Md Harun-Or-Rashid were all involved in enforced...

www.thedailystar.net

Enforced disappearances: ‘Hasina herself was involved’
Says commission’s preliminary report to CA

Illustration: Biplob Chakroborty

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her defence adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan, and senior police officers Monirul Islam and Md Harun-Or-Rashid were all involved in enforced disappearances.

Commission for inquiry into enforced disappearances found prima facie evidence of their involvement, said a preliminary report submitted to the chief adviser yesterday.

The commission recommends disbanding Rab because of its inalienable involvement in enforced disappearances.

It found a "systematic design" that facilitated incidents of enforced disappearances go undetected, chairman of the commission Justice (retd) Mainul Islam Chowdhury said while submitting the report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.

The forces collaborated with each other to pick up, torture, and keep victims in detention and deliberately compartmentalised the operations, the commission found.

The commission recorded 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances.

Of the complaints, it has examined 758, of which 27 percent of the victims -- approximately 200 people -- never returned, said commission member Sajjad Hossain to The Daily Star.

Those who returned were mostly shown on records as arrested, said the rights activist.

The number of complaints the commission has scrutinised exceeds preliminary estimates collated over the years by human rights platforms like Mayer Daak and Odhikar.

Many who had not spoken out, fearing reprisal from the Awami League government, are now doing so, Sajjad said.

The commission estimates that the number of cases of enforced disappearances would be over 3,500.

Earlier, the commission members announced at a press conference that they had found eight secret detention centres in Dhaka and its outskirts.

The commission has since found one more Rab-run secret prison, said Sajjad.

While receiving the report yesterday, Prof Yunus said he would visit some of the joint interrogation cells and secret detention centres, better known as Aynaghar, as he wanted first-hand knowledge about the sufferings of the victims.

The commission also recommends repealing or heavily amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009.

Sajjad said, "Terrorism is very vaguely defined in the law creating room for abuse. We have also recommended abolishing the death penalty under this law."

The report called for the creation of a new law criminalising enforced disappearances.

They also told the government to repeal laws under the Armed Police Battalions Ordinance that grants law enforcers indemnity for acts done in "good faith".

The committee also recommends that the government creates a National Preventive Mechanism as mandated by the UN Convention Against Torture to protect civilians from abuses, Sajjad said.

Last month, commission member Nur Khan Liton told a press conference that the commission found a cell operated by Rab measuring just 3.5 feet x 4 feet. The cell had no source of light, except a small peephole. People had been confined to such cells for years, he said.

Yesterday, the report was handed over to the chief adviser at the state guest house Jamuna.

The commission chairman told Yunus that another interim report would be delivered in March. It would take at least another year to scrutinise all the complaints.

Commission members Justice Farid Ahmed Shibli, human rights activist Nur Khan, BRAC University teacher Nabila Idris, and human rights activist Sajjad Hossain; Interim Government's advisory council members Adilur Rahman Khan and Sharmeen S Murshid; Principal Secretary to Chief Adviser Md Siraj Uddin Mia; and Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam were present, among others.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced Disappearance: Commission finds Indian involvement

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance has found prima facie evidence of the involvement of Indian authorities in the system of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh.

www.newagebd.net

Enforced Disappearance: Commission finds Indian involvement
Staff Correspondent 16 December, 2024, 00:34

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance has found prima facie evidence of the involvement of Indian authorities in the system of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh.

In its first interim report titled Unfolding the Truth submitted to chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday, the commission stated that it came to the conclusion after recording statements of victims, their families and members law enforcement agencies.

The commission recommended the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extend their best efforts to identify any Bangladeshi citizens who might still remain in India, according to a part of the report shared by chief adviser’s press wing on Sunday.

More detailed analysis will be required to fully understand the extent of the involvement of the Indian authorities and its implications for both the countries, said the report.

‘There is a persistent suggestion in law enforcement circles that some prisoners may still remain in Indian jails,’ the report said, adding that it was beyond the jurisdiction of the commission to follow this trail outside Bangladesh.

‘We have found Indian authority’s involvement in enforced disappearances. Some victim families also told us about the matter,’ said commission member Nur Khan Liton, also a human rights activist.

Some Bangladeshi people may be still in Indian jails, he said without providing further details.

He said that they submitted their recommendations to the interim government’s chief adviser and they would send it to the ministries concerned.

Officials of foreign ministry’s South Asia wing and the home ministry could not be reached for comments.

The formal nature of the handover of victims of enfroced disappearence in the presence of suspected Bangladeshi and Indian security personnel, all wearing ‘jom tupi’ (a type of disguise that covers the entire head) to avoid recognition, well inside Indian territory, underscores the high level of coordination between the two governments and their respective security forces, the report said.

There are two highly publicised cases that provide valuable insights into how such operations were carried out: the case of Shukhranjan Bali, abducted from Bangladesh Supreme Court premises who resurfaced subsequently in an Indian jail, and that of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Salahuddin Ahmed, said the report.

Besides these incidents, Hummam Quader Chowdhury describes hearing Hindi-speaking people outside his cell with a number of inquiries such as ‘when was he picked up, has he given any information, what interrogation has been done yet’.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed’s case exemplifies certain practices of the Bangladesh India rendition system, the report said.

Detained while hiding at Uttara in 2015, he recounts being imprisoned in a barren cell, where a hole in the ground served as a toilet.

The blanket provided to him bore the letters ‘TFI’, indicative of ‘Task Force for Interrogation’.

‘During that period, the only operational TFI centre that we know of was managed by the Rapid Action Battalion Intelligence Wing working under the aegis of RAB headquarters, although it was located within a walled compound inside RAB 1 battalion headquarters at Uttara in Dhaka’ the report said.

The commission has visited this location and confirmed that the RAB Intelligence Wing was still controling access to it, including holding the keys thereof.

The commission recommended disbanding the RAB and on December 10, 2021, the United States Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the RAB for human rights abuse.

Commission member Sazzad Hossain told New Age that the case of BNP leader Salahuddin and Shukhranjan Bali could be defined the involvement of Indian authorities.

‘We are yet to know the whereabouts of Shukhranjan Bali. We are trying to contact his family. The home ministry and the foreign ministry should contact the Indian authorities about the detained Bangladeshis,’ said Sazzad.

He said that they had found involvement of the Indian Border Security Force and the RAB Intelligence Wing in sending people from Bangladesh to India crossing the border.

‘We are yet to find any direct involvement of Border Guard Bangladesh,’ he said.

Interviews with soldiers deputed to the RAB Intelligence Wing have yielded further information about the practice of captive exchanges between the two countries and the possible subsequent fate of the detainees, the report said.

One soldier described being present on two occasions in 2011 when the RAB Intelligence Wing received three captives from India via the Tamabil border in the presence of uniformed Indian Border Security Force personnel.

On one occasion, two captives were received and subsequently killed by the side of the road after the exchange.

On the other occasion, one captive was received and handed over alive to another team inside Bangladesh, said the report.

In return, RAB Intelligence Wing handed over two captives from Bangladesh to India, it said.

The commission in its first interim report found prima facie evidence of involvement of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Haisna and some high-ranking officials of security forces and her government, including her defence adviser retired Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique in enforced disappearances.

The commission also found involvement of former National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre director general and sacked Major General Ziaul Ahsan, senior police officers, including former Special Branch chief Monirul Islam and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police detective branch chief Md Harun-Or-Rashid, in several incidents of enforced disappearance.

The second method of target selection appears to involve direct orders from politically connected or otherwise influential figures, the report said.

For example, in the notorious seven-murder case in Narayanganj, the accused Tareque Sayeed Mohammad (former RAB 11 Commanding Officer) stated in his confession under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure that he had received the go-ahead signal from Ziaul Ahsan (hen RAB additional director for general operations), it said.

according to the report, enforced disappearance victim Hummam Quader Chowdhury, recounted being told at the point of his release, ‘The honourable prime minister is giving you a second chance, but there are certain conditions. You must refrain from politics, leave the country, and return only when the situation improves. Understand that the honourable prime minister is granting you a second chance in life..’

The commission said that they already recorded 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances, while 758 complaints were already scrutinised.

The commission estimates the number of enforced disappearances in the country would cross 3,500.

Of the 758 scrutinised disappearances 27 per cent of the victms were still missing and 73 per cent reappeared alive later, the report said.​

 

[Saif]

Ensure justice for the disappeared

Hasina's direct involvement in enforced disappearance allowed the crime to continue for so long.

www.thedailystar.net

Ensure justice for the disappeared
Arrest and try those involved in such heinous crimes

VISUAL: STAR

Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's direct involvement in cases of enforced disappearance, as revealed in the finding of the inquiry commission's preliminary report, confirms our foreboding that these gross human rights violations were state-sponsored, with orders coming from the highest echelon of power. Otherwise, this heinous crime could not have continued for so long without any perpetrator ever being tried.

The inquiry commission, formed on August 27 to investigate cases of enforced disappearances from 2009 to August 5, 2024, also found prima facie evidence against Hasina's defence adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan, and senior police officers Monirul Islam and Md Harun-Or-Rashid. Of the four, Tarique, Monirul and Harun are still absconding. The commission's report detailed how trained professionals in forces, including Rab, DGFI, DB, CID, and CTTC, "deliberately designed the system of enforced disappearances over 15 years in a fashion calculated to avoid detection and attribution of responsibility."

In fact, the commission estimates that the actual number of enforced disappearances might exceed 3,500—more than double the 1,676 complaints they received so far. To date, the commission has examined 758 complaints, and in 27 percent of the cases, the victims never returned. The report revealed how many victims were executed mercilessly and evidence buried. The victims' families have the right to know details including the locations of the execution. Another interim report will be published by the commission in three months, but the final report will take at least another year. While it is necessary to take as much time as needed for a proper investigation, the concerns of the families and rights activists that much evidence might be lost or destroyed during this time should also be taken seriously. The government must ensure that no perpetrator goes free because of any lapse in collecting and preserving evidence or delay in starting the trial process. It is, therefore, imperative to unearth and preserve all the Aynaghars, which, according to the latest findings, now total nine.

Meanwhile, we welcome the commission's recommendation to enact a new law criminalising enforced disappearance and amend the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009, which has been used as a weapon to victimise many innocents. The commission's recommendation to disband Rab, which was found involved in 172 cases of enforced disappearance, should be considered and weighed against the alternative of extensive reform. Most of all, everyone, including Sheikh Hasina, must be held accountable for their involvement in enforced disappearances, which not only traumatised surviving victims for life but broke many families who, not knowing the fate of their loved ones, cannot get closure.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced Disappearance: Victims killed or jailed in fictitious cases

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance in its first interim report has found that most victims were either killed or ended up in jail implicated in fictitious cases...

www.newagebd.net

Enforced Disappearance: Victims killed or jailed in fictitious cases
Staff Correspondent 18 December, 2024, 23:43

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance in its first interim report has found that most victims were either killed or ended up in jail implicated in fictitious cases.

A tiny minority of the victims have been released without any charges. Some of the victims were released after August 5 changeover, according to the commission’s first interim report titled ‘Unfolding the truth’ submitted to chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday.

The report said that the commission had received some verified documents detailing the methods of execution for those who were killed.

‘In cases where bodies were recovered, post-mortem examinations revealed that the victims had been shot in the head and disposed of in rivers with cement bags tied to their bodies,’ said a part of the report shared by the chief adviser’s press wing on Sunday, quoting military officers who had served in the Rapid Action Battalion as a standard procedure to ensure that the bodies would sink.

Specific sites of killing and disposal include the River Buriganga, Kanchon Bridge, and Postogola Bridge. The Postogola Bridge location, in particular, had a boat—confiscated during a raid on a pirate hideout in the Sundarbans—that was modified for use in these nefarious operations, said the report, adding that officers of law enforcement and security agencies ofen actively participated in these executions.

One witness, himself a RAB battalion commander, recounted an ‘orientation’ session conducted by the then head of its intelligence wing, during which two victims were shot on a bridge in front of him as part of his initiation into the elite force.

Another soldier, previously deputed to RAB intelligence, described a victim attempting to escape by jumping into the river.

He retrieved the victim who was immediately executed on the spot.

The commission said that they already recorded 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances, while 758 complaints were already scrutinised.

It estimates the number of enforced disappearances would cross 3,500.

Of the 758 scrutinised disappearances 27 per cent of the victims remain still missing and 73 per cent reappeared alive later, the report said.

Commission member and human rights activist Sazzad Hossain said that their inquiries found a pattern of killings.

‘We have found majority of the victims either killed or framed in cases. But the number of those framed in cases is higher than those killed,’ said Sazzad.

The report also revealed sordid ways followed to dismember victims’ bodies, including placing body to the rail tracks.

One soldier reported to have been ordered to carry a body to a railway line in Dhaka, where it was placed on the tracks.

The officers and soldiers waited in their vehicle until a train passed, dismembering the body.

In another instance, a surviving victim said that he was shoved onto a highway in front of an oncoming vehicle by a police officer. But the driver swerved and avoided hitting him and drove on.

The officer did not make a second attempt, sparing the victim’s life.

The commission in its reports infers that the methods of execution were varied with a common intent to eliminate the victims and, in some cases, dispose of their remains in ways that would prevent recovery or identification.

Disproving claims of being the work of rogue officers, the systemic nature of these practices, involving multiple locations and agencies, highlights the coordinated efforts behind these crimes, it observes, suggesting an in-depth investigation is required to fully uncover the scale and specifics of these operations.

Many disappeared individuals were later handed over to the police or produced in courts under baseless allegations made using various laws, including the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, Arms Act, 1878, Explosive Substances Act, 1908, Special Powers Act, 1974, and the Digital Security Act, 2018 (replaced by the Cyber Security Act, 2023), the report says.

The commission also said that the accounts of torture they documented were both profoundly brutal and disturbingly methodical.

A notable distinction has emerged between the premises under the management of military officers and those overseen by civil forces, said the report.

For example, in 2010, a young man was abducted by the Rapid Action Battalion from Dhanmondi.

The victim reported that he was taken to a room where his lips were immediately sewn without the use of any anaesthetic.

In a separate incident eight years later, a middle-aged man recounted that his genitals and ears were electrocuted.

This torture also took place at a RAB facility.

The commission found prima facie evidence of involvement of deposed prime minister Sheikh Haisna and some high-ranking officers of security forces and her government, including her defence adviser retired Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique in enforced disappearances.

The commission also recommended the disbanding of RAB.​

 

[Saif]

Mobile surveillance used in pinpointing victims’ location: Commission

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance has found that the mobile surveillance system was used in pinpointing the location of the victims of the enforced disappearance prior to picking them up secretly. “Interviews with the victims and the members of the Armed Forces confirm that

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Mobile surveillance used in pinpointing victims’ location: Commission
BSS
Published :
Dec 22, 2024 20:00
Updated :
Dec 22, 2024 20:00

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance has found that the mobile surveillance system was used in pinpointing the location of the victims of the enforced disappearance prior to picking them up secretly.

“Interviews with the victims and the members of the Armed Forces confirm that mobile technology was integral to the surveillance process. In interviews, RAB and military officers indicated that ‘silent pick-ups’—unobtrusive abductions—were virtually impossible without mobile surveillance to pinpoint the victim’s location with precision,” said the Commission report.

The five-member commission, led by retired justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, recently presented the report, titled "Unfolding the Truth," to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna.

Prior to the establishment of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) as an independent agency, the report said that the mobile surveillance was conducted through its predecessor, the National Monitoring Centre (NMC), which was housed within the DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence) Headquarters.

The DGFI provided dedicated surveillance systems, which were also used by other forces, such as RAB and DB, it said.

A former DG of DGFI also confirmed to the Commission that his organization provided logistics support related to surveillance to various law enforcement teams whilst NMC was housed at the DGFI Headquarters.

However, preliminary reports suggest that some surveillance capabilities still reside within individual forces.

The extent of these capabilities remains an active line of inquiry, particularly because there appears to be no judicial oversight on the surveillance process, the Commission report said.

“Despite the lack of judicial oversight, several victims reported signs of surveillance prior to their abductions,” it said.

For example, the report said that one victim revealed that his captors referenced a private phone conversation about his wife’s dental treatment, suggesting that mobile surveillance had been conducted beforehand.

Other victims described receiving suspicious phone calls shortly before their abductions, during which no one spoke at the other end of the line, it also said.

“These calls were presumably used to pinpoint the victim’s location,” it added.

In another instance, the report said that eyewitnesses recounted how the security forces entered a room, instructed the occupants to place their phones in a line, and, when a call came to one of the phones, detained the individual who claimed it.

“That person was never seen again,” it said.​

 

[Saif]

Another victim of enforced disappearance returns home from India

Another enforced disappearance victim returned home allegedly from India on Saturday, one

www.newagebd.net

Another victim of enforced disappearance returns home from India
Staff Correspondent 23 December, 2024, 10:55

Another enforced disappearance victim returned home allegedly from India on Saturday, one

year four months after he was picked up by people identifying themselves as Rapid Action Battalion members on August 29, 2023.

The victim is Rahmatullah, an electrician who was picked up from his own house in Dhamrai, human rights organisation Odhikar revealed in a statement issued on Sunday.

His family searched RAB offices, various Detective Branch offices and police stations but all law enforcement agencies denied picking Rahmatullah up.

Rahmatullah was blindfolded and threatened in various places in Bangladesh for nine months and later was taken to India where he was held in Dum Dum jail for ‘illegal entry’, the statement said.

He had been in India for seven months.

The statement read that Indian Border Security Force sent Rahmatullah back to Bangladesh through the Mahananda River on Saturday night.

After entering the country, he arrived at Gomastapur police station in Chapainawabganj from where police contacted his family.

The family later went there and rescued him.

The statement cited examples of Sukharanjan Bali and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Salahuddin Ahmad being relocated to India after abduction.

Such incidents prove that Indian authorities were involved in the system of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh, Odhikar said in its statement.

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance recently revealed that they found prima facie evidence of the India’s involvement in the system of enforced disappearance.

According to Odhikar, 721 people have fallen victim to enforced disappearances from 2009 till September 2024. Of them, 158 people were still not found.

Odhikar believe that there is a possibility that more victims may be held in Indian jails after being disappeared from Bangladesh.

The human rights body said that the government should immediately check the information of all Bangladeshis imprisoned in Indian jails to determine if there are any enforced disappearance victims.

It demanded compensation for Rahmatullah and punishment for those involved in his disappearance.​

 

[Saif]

What Bangladesh can learn from Argentina’s struggle with enforced disappearance

The Mayer Daak movement in Bangladesh has emerged as a powerful symbol of resistance.

www.thedailystar.net

What Bangladesh can learn from Argentina’s struggle with enforced disappearance

The families of the disappeared in Bangladesh, like the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, have refused to stay silent. FILE PHOTO: PRABIR DAS

In Bangladesh, Argentina is more than just a footballing nation; it's a symbol of passion, resilience, and shared identity. The famous "Hand of God" moment and Maradona's dazzling 1986 World Cup victory are still celebrated with immense enthusiasm. But beyond the footballing legacy, there's another connection between the two nations—a shared pain and sorrow that ties them together in ways most would never expect.

Between 1976 and 1983, Argentina endured one of the darkest periods in its history, known as the "Dirty War" (Guerra Sucia in Spanish). The country was ruled by a military junta that used brutal tactics to eliminate perceived threats. Thousands of citizens, including political activists, intellectuals, union leaders, and students, were disappeared without a trace. These individuals, often the brightest and most outspoken members of society, were subjected to torture, imprisonment, and death. Their families, left in torment, had no idea whether their loved ones were alive or dead. This led to a profound trauma that still echoes in Argentina today.

In many ways, Bangladesh's modern-day struggle mirrors this painful past. Since Sheikh Hasina assumed power in 2009, Bangladesh has seen a troubling rise in cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, particularly between 2009 and 2022. Human rights organisations estimate that more than 3,000 people have vanished over the last decade, many of them political activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens who dared to challenge the government. The tactics used by Bangladesh's security forces, especially the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), are chillingly similar to those of authoritarian regimes, with violence wielded as a tool of political control. The Digital Security Act, introduced in 2018, further silenced dissent by criminalising free speech, in essence, and empowering the government to target critics.

Although the political contexts in Argentina and Bangladesh differ in many ways, both countries have been profoundly impacted by authoritarian rule and the heavy human cost of enforced disappearances. However, the paths they have taken to address these abuses and the extent to which justice has been served are markedly distinct.

After the fall of Argentina's brutal military dictatorship in 1983, the country began the long and difficult process of confronting its past. One of the most significant steps was the formation of the National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons (CONADEP), which investigated the forced disappearances and human rights violations committed during the dictatorship. Their report, Nunca Más ("Never Again"), was a landmark document that detailed the scale of the atrocities and gave voice to the victims' families. For the first time, the suffering was acknowledged, and the public could no longer ignore the truth.

In the years that followed, Argentina took important steps toward achieving justice. Laws that had previously shielded military officials from prosecution, such as the Full Stop Law and the Law of Due Obedience, were repealed in 2003. In the subsequent years, former military officers were put on trial, and some were convicted of crimes against humanity, including torture, forced disappearances, and murder. While justice was delayed, it wasn't denied. The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of mothers whose children had disappeared during the dictatorship, became a powerful symbol of resistance, relentlessly demanding truth and accountability. Their courage and determination brought the issue of human rights violations to the forefront, forcing Argentina to reckon with its past.

In contrast, Bangladesh's struggle with enforced disappearances remains largely unresolved. In 2024, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, an interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). Later, a commission of inquiry into the disappearances was established. While this is a positive step, it remains to be seen whether the commission will be independent enough to carry out its work without political interference. Moreover, ensuring that the victims' families receive reparations and recognition for their suffering will be crucial if any real healing is to occur.

The families of the disappeared in Bangladesh, much like the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, have refused to stay silent. Through the Mayer Daak movement, they have taken to the streets, demanding answers and justice. These families, most of them mothers and wives, have been vocal about their pain, their hopes, and their grief. They continue to march, protest, and speak out, hoping that one day, they'll get the closure they so desperately need. But their struggle has not been met with the same level of national support or legal recourse that Argentina's victims received.

The Mayer Daak movement in Bangladesh has emerged as a powerful symbol of resistance, not just to the state's systematic efforts to suppress dissent, but also to the culture of impunity that allows the state's security forces to operate with minimal accountability. Like the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina, the Mayer Daak group has demanded justice for the victims of forced disappearances, courageously standing up against the government's repression and the silence that surrounds these atrocities.

Despite the intense political and legal obstacles, they face, the Mayer Daak movement continues to gain momentum. The group's members, many of them mothers, sisters, and wives have become the public face of resistance. Their constant presence at protests and public demonstrations is a testament to their refusal to let the truth be buried. Through their tireless efforts, the Mayer Daak movement has kept the issue of enforced disappearances in the national conversation, pushing for recognition of the victims and accountability for the perpetrators.

Bangladesh has not yet seen the same level of institutional reforms as Argentina, such as the creation of a national truth commission. However, the activism by Mayer Daak has the potential to spur a broader movement for justice, one that might eventually lead to formal inquiries, legal accountability, and reparations for the families of the disappeared. The group's insistence on truth and justice offers a glimmer of hope in the face of a long history of government oppression.

Both Argentina and Bangladesh have suffered through brutal authoritarian regimes that used forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings to maintain control. Argentina's eventual commitment to justice, accountability, and truth has allowed the country to begin the healing process.

With the right commitment and action, there is hope that Bangladesh can take meaningful steps toward healing, and the painful legacy of enforced disappearances can eventually be addressed. By learning from Argentina's example and ensuring accountability, recognition for the victims, and a genuine process of truth-telling, Bangladesh has the potential to move forward. While the journey may be long, it is not without hope. In time, the families of the disappeared may find the justice and closure they deserve, and the country as a whole can begin to heal from this dark chapter.

Barrister Md Zahid Hasan Akhand is a human rights lawyer, activist, and founder and head of Akhand and Associates.​