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

[Saif]

UN group on enforced disappearance arrives after over a decade of waiting

The United Nations Human Rights Council's Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has long been seeking to visit Dhaka to investigate cases of enforced disappearances allegedly carried out by law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh. They have made several requests to the...

en.prothomalo.com

UN group on enforced disappearance arrives after over a decade of waiting
Diplomatic Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 15 Jun 2025, 23: 14

The United Nations Human Rights Council's Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has long been seeking to visit Dhaka to investigate cases of enforced disappearances allegedly carried out by law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh. They have made several requests to the Bangladesh government for this purpose.

However, after more than a decade, this is the first time they have been granted permission to visit. Today, Sunday, a two-member delegation from the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances arrived in Dhaka.

During their visit to Bangladesh, the delegation is scheduled to meet with law adviser Asif Nazrul, the acting foreign secretary, members of the commission on disappearances, law enforcement agencies, and families of the disappeared. They will also participate in policy-level discussions.

It has been reported that the purpose of the UN delegation's visit this time is not to conduct direct investigations but to observe the situation and make recommendations based on their findings.

For the past decade, WGEID has wanted to visit Bangladesh to investigate enforced disappearances. Their first official request was made in a letter to the government on 12 March, 2013.

Although they expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh several more times afterward, the previous government did not respond to these requests. The last formal request from WGEID to visit Bangladesh was sent on 24 April, 2020. This time, the interim government has responded positively to their request.

According to diplomatic sources, a two-member technical delegation from WGEID arrived in Dhaka today for a four-day visit. The members are Grażyna Baranowska, Vice Chair of the Working Group, and Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez. They are scheduled to leave Dhaka on 18 June.

The interim government led by chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus signed the United Nations International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance after the ouster of the Awami League government through the July mass uprising.

Bangladesh signed the convention just a day before the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. Prior to this, a total of 75 countries had signed the treaty, and Bangladesh became the 76th signatory. The convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2006.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have stated that Bangladesh had been under pressure for a long time to join this anti-disappearance convention.

However, since coming to power in 2009, the Awami League-led government consistently showed reluctance to join the treaty. Among South Asian countries, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have both ratified the convention, meaning they have incorporated it into their domestic law. India has only signed the convention but has not ratified it.

According to the latest data published by WGEID, 70 cases of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh remain unresolved. The UN has sought clarification on the actual status of a total of 88 disappeared individuals. Of these, five are reportedly in custody, and 10 have been released.​

 

[Saif]

Still many challenges despite signing UN convention on disappearance: UN delegation

Although Bangladesh has signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), there are several challenges ahead. And the easiest way to overcome this crisis is to talk to the families of the victims. UN Working Group on Enforced or...

en.prothomalo.com

Still many challenges despite signing UN convention on disappearance: UN delegation
Diplomatic Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 16 Jun 2025, 21: 12

UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances vice chairman Grazyna Baranowska with acting foreign secretary with Ruhul Siddique during a meeting Monday morning Courtesy of Ministry of foreign affairs

Although Bangladesh has signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), there are several challenges ahead. And the easiest way to overcome this crisis is to talk to the families of the victims.

UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) vice chairman Grazyna Baranowska said this following a meeting with foreign secretary Ruhul Siddique Monday morning.

“We came after Bangladesh signed the convention on enforced disappearances. This visit is important. We believe the key issue is supporting the victims. At the same time, there needs to be increased monitoring on the activities of law enforcement agencies. There are still many challenges ahead,” Grazyna Baranowska said.

She also stressed on proper investigations into the allegations of enforced disappearances.

Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez, another member of the working group, said the purpose of this visit was to discuss support for the victims. The talks also addressed the issue of ensuring justice for those who have been subjected to enforced disappearance.

Meanwhile, in a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the WGEID delegation praised the significant steps taken by the interim government to address the issue of enforced disappearances—particularly welcoming Bangladesh’s accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). They also appreciated the work and commitments shown by the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on enforced disappearances.

The acting foreign secretary stressed on the government’s uncompromised commitment to ensure justice for the victims and uphold human rights, its protection and raising public awareness.

He also expressed gratitude for the technical support provided by the UN working group to expedite the process.

Govt to enact law, form commission to curb enforced disappearance: Law adviser
Earlier, on Sunday, the two-member delegation from the UN committee on enforced disappearances arrived Dhaka on a 4-day visit. They are scheduled to leave the country on 18 June.

The WGEID has been trying to come to the country to investigate the allegations of enforced disappearances for more than a decade. They first sent a letter to the Bangladesh government on 12 March 2013 for visiting the country. However, the government did not respond.

The WGEID also tried several times afterwards. However all the efforts went in vain. The UN body requested the previous government for the last time on 24 April 2020. Finally, the interim government responded to their call after assuming the office.​

 

[Saif]

Govt to enact law, form commission to curb enforced disappearance: Law adviser

An initiative has been taken to formulate an act regarding enforced disappearance, law adviser Asif Nazrul said on Monday. There is a plan to form a powerful permanent commission under this law to curb enforced disappearance in future, the adviser stated. Two members of a visiting delegation...

en.prothomalo.com

Govt to enact law, form commission to curb enforced disappearance: Law adviser
Special Correspondent Dhaka
Updated: 16 Jun 2025, 18: 59

Asif Nazrul, the law, justice, and parliamentary affairs adviser, speaks to reporters in his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat on 16 June 2025 Prothom Alo

An initiative has been taken to formulate an act regarding enforced disappearance, law adviser Asif Nazrul said on Monday.

There is a plan to form a powerful permanent commission under this law to curb enforced disappearance in the future, the adviser stated.

Two members of a visiting delegation from the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) called on the law adviser at his secretariat office today.

They are: working group’s vice-chairperson Grazyna Baranowska and its member Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez.

The law adviser said this to the media after a meeting with the two delegates.

Asif Nazrul said the government has taken an initiative to formulate a law, which was lauded by the WGEID. The UN delegates already said to consider increasing the tenure of the commission on enforced disappearance. In response he (Asif Nazrul) told them that everyone in the government will sit and make a decision in this regard.

He also informed the WGEID delegates that the government will enact a law regarding enforced disappearance and has a plan to form a powerful commission under that law.

When several newspersons asked the law adviser about the timeframe to implement the law, he said he hoped the law on enforced disappearance and an ordinance on amendment of the code of criminal procedure will be completed by one month.

Newspersons also asked the adviser about the process of formation of the ‘truth and reconciliation’ commission.

In response, he said they went to South Africa under the leadership of the chief justice for this and learned the matter from there. In the second phase, they have been thinking about a regional consultation under the leadership of the chief justice where delegations from Sri Lanka, Nepal and South Asia will be invited.

They will seek opinions of the political parties of Bangladesh, civil society members, rights activists and students and thought out a path on what could be done, the law adviser added.​

 

[Saif]

Commission finds internal dissent, foreign links over enforced disappearances

The interim government instituted a commission on enforced disappearances in its interim report said they found “internal dissent” within security forces alongside foreign links as they studied the cases. The report pointed out several incidents where the security personnel handling victims of...

en.prothomalo.com

Commission finds internal dissent, foreign links over enforced disappearances

BSS Dhaka
Published: 23 Jun 2025, 22: 57

The interim government instituted a commission on enforced disappearances in its interim report said they found “internal dissent” within security forces alongside foreign links as they studied the cases.

The report pointed out several incidents where the security personnel handling victims of enforced disappearance expressed their dissent often exposing them to adverse personal and professional consequences.

It also found the enforced disappearances in Bangladesh were not isolated acts of wrongdoing when “international enablers” played “decisive roles” as well alongside Bangladesh’s security forces.

“Internal dissent within the security forces, especially on issues such as enforced disappearances, political neutrality, or institutional accountability, often carried adverse personal and professional consequences,” read the report, a copy of which was obtained by BSS.

But, it said the result of politicised institutional machinery condoned, normalised, and often rewarded such crimes while officials who dissented often faced punitive actions.

The report cited an example of an unnamed officer who complained that his independent views and refusal to toe the official line on enforced disappearance led him to systematic isolation from his colleagues.

The officer told the commission that before each consequent new posting, “his colleagues were warned not to trust him” and fabricated allegations of sundry crimes followed him while his family’s communications were monitored as well.

According to the report a young man described his brother’s mental collapse while working in an intelligence agency where he was tasked with submitting a list of active political dissidents and “to his horror, he subsequently discovered that everyone in the list he had submitted were eliminated”.

“The guilt overwhelmed him to the extent that, his family reported, he was eventually hospitalised for severe psychological distress,” the report read.

One soldier told the commission that upon being posted to a “secret detention site particularly notorious for its systematic cruelty to captives”, became horrified as he was given a standing order not to show normal behaviour with captives and feel them in pain.

The report said guards were even strongly discouraged from using their voices in close proximity to the prisoners, instead they were told to use “signs and whistles,” while multiple blindfolded victims too reported these tell-tale whistles used at that particular site.

“Yet, dissent did exist. That same soldier, though unable to leave, coped through small acts of resistance. He regularly gave his own meals to detainees, who were routinely served only half the rations of the guards,” it said.

The report said the commission confirmed this account directly from a victim who had received the soldier’s largesse.

“Complicity in these crimes often took an emotional toll on some members of the security forces,” the report said citing testimonies of some security personnel and the captives.

It said one RAB Intelligence officer was “allegedly ordered to kill a long-term detainee” whose whereabouts had been compromised due to a colleague’s indiscretion but the officer refused to carry out the order and remained in position until after 5 August last year.

It said the incident demonstrated that “resistance to unlawful orders did not always bring immediate fallout” while the report cited examples of two RAB officials who informed the force’s intelligence chief in hand written notes telling him they would not carry out any illegal orders.

“When I was ordered to go on an operation by the RAB authority, I said that if there is any plan of extrajudicial killing or firing which is not permitted by the law of the country, I cannot take part in such kind of act,” the report quoted one such note reading.

The report said the then prime minister was conveyed these attitudes with authorities concerned forwarding the informal notes to her while those notes were incidentally found at her Ganobhan official residence after the ouster of the past regime.

But the commission observed that yet crimes were committed when according to witnesses victims were even killed and train lines were used as body disposal sites or captives were thrown in front of running vehicles to be killed but captives were executed in isolated locations away from public view.

“There was an environment in which crimes like enforced disappearances were tacitly condoned, and those who committed them were not regarded as offenders in any meaningful way,” the report read.

The commission, however, foreign links to the cases of enforced disappearance while it reported “parallel to the India nexus, the Awami League also benefited from sustained Western cooperation under the banner of counterterrorism”.

“Senior officers confirmed to us that this partnership, particularly with the United States, enabled capacity building within Bangladesh’s security sector even as abuses mounted,” the report said, adding in one testimony, a victim recalled being interrogated by two Americans while in DB custody.

The commission said as far as it came to know these foreign individuals did not engage in direct abuse but “their presence gave legitimacy to a broader system of enforced detention”.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced disappearance: Commission finds ‘torture devices’ at every detention facilities

The Commission on enforced disappearance has said they found specialised interrogation rooms equipped with “torture devices” nearly at every detention facilities despite perpetrators efforts to destroy evidence after post-5 August 2024 period. “Nearly every detention centre we discovered had...

en.prothomalo.com

Enforced disappearance: Commission finds ‘torture devices’ at every detention facilities

BSS Dhaka
Published: 26 Jun 2025, 12: 54

The Commission on enforced disappearance has said they found specialised interrogation rooms equipped with “torture devices” nearly at every detention facilities despite perpetrators efforts to destroy evidence after post-5 August 2024 period.

“Nearly every detention centre we discovered had specialised interrogation rooms equipped with torture devices,” read the seventh chapter of the commission’s second interim report made available to BSS.

The report said significant efforts were made to destroy this evidence but the commission was able to “uncover traces that aligned with survivor testimonies, such as a rotating chair at RAB 2, CPC 3; the “jom tupi” (head covering) at RAB 4 and DB; and the pulley system used to suspend people at TFI (Taskforce Interrogation) cell”.

It said at almost every destroyed location, remnants of soundproofing were found while the system was designed to muffle the victims’ screams and prevent them from being heard beyond the room’s walls.

In some centres, the report said, music was also used to deaden sounds of the victims’ anguish, and presumably for the enjoyment of the interrogators.

According to the report victims endured prolonged discomfort due to a combination of physical and psychological abuse while they were often given half the food ration of regular guards, kept handcuffed and blindfolded, and placed in solitary confinement.

“The uncertainty of their fate, coupled with these harsh conditions, led to constant distress,” the report said.

The commission said the torture victims were often held in enforced disappearance allowing perpetrators to carry out their actions without the threat of legal consequences.

The uncertainty about whether a victim would ever appear in court or simply vanish from the state’s records facilitated this unchecked abuse and this environment emboldened perpetrators, making it much less likely for the torture to be interrupted or questioned.

It said in cases where torturers feared additional scrutiny, they took steps to erase the evidence of their actions while in some cases the perpetrators waited several weeks to get the captives healed or their bruises faded before they were presented to the public “ensuring that no obvious traces of their crimes remained”.

The report said apart from exposing victims to generalised discomfort, beatings were most common nature of torture while electric shock including genital shock during urination, use of rotating devices in forms chair and full-body apparatus were other methods used against the victims.

The commission observed that personnel were consistently engaged over time that demonstrated “the abuse was part of a sustained and organised effort” also because of the fact that equipment had to be procured, personnel trained, and methods institutionalised to ensure the continued operation of this system.

“The scale of the abuse and its persistent nature indicate that it was not only condoned at the ground level but likely supported by those at the highest echelon of power,” the report read.

It said a system of torture like this could not have existed without the explicit approval from higher authorities as “there had to be budget allocations for infrastructure, equipment procurement, and maintenance over time”.

“Therefore, responsibility for these crimes against humanity cannot rest solely with the perpetrators on the ground; it extends to commanding officers and senior officials who allowed or even encouraged these practices,” the report read.​

 

[Saif]

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE: Commission members, survivors face threats

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance in its second interim report revealed that its members and surviving victims were facing various challenges, including intimidation, threats, and other obstacles.

www.newagebd.net

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE: Commission members, survivors face threats.
Tanzil Rahaman 28 June, 2025, 00:27

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance in its second interim report revealed that its members and surviving victims were facing various challenges, including intimidation, threats, and other obstacles.

Several commission members and surviving victims said that they were intimidated and put under surveillance by members of the forces that were involved in incidents of enforced disappearance during the ousted Awami League regime.

The challenges faced by the commission have been multifaceted and, at times, deeply obstructive, according to a part of the report shared by the chief adviser’s press wing on June 23.

‘The Commission members have faced sustained intimidation, both directly and indirectly. Threats have been issued in person, by phone, and through online communication channels. They have been subjected to systematic harassment, slander, and public disinformation campaigns. Accusations have ranged from being agents of foreign intelligence services, such as Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, India’s Research and Analysis Wing and USA’s Central Intelligence Agency, to being religious or political extremists,’ said the report.

During some interviews, the report said, alleged perpetrators have explicitly stated that they were monitoring the families of commission members.

‘These efforts at intimidation, however, have not affected the direction or pace of our work. We have treated such provocations with the disregard they deserve and continued our efforts in full commitment to the victims and our mandate,’ it added.

The Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, Rapid Action Battalion, police, Detective Branch of police, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime, and Criminal Investigation Department were allegedly involved in enforced disappearance incidents, according to the commission.

Commission member Nabila Idris told New Age on Friday that they did not face such threats in the early days of their work as alleged perpetrators in security forces then largely ignored the commission and its activities.New age fashion

‘All members of the commission did not face such threats and intimidations. But the number of members that faced threats and obstacles is multiple. They have faced threats and intimidation from members of security forces,’ explained Nabila.

The report said that surviving victims also faced numerous obstacles.

‘If we bring them (surviving victims) under the public gaze, for instance, during high-profile visits, such as those of the chief adviser to the secret detention centres in February 2025, we take care to ensure that they are prepared for the subsequent pressure they may face. And victims have indeed demonstrated resilience,’ the report said.

The report further said that sustained public attacks and online harassment from political entities, particularly affiliates of the Awami League, had exacted a psychological toll on them.

‘Even those victims who had appeared ready to face scrutiny later reported significant mental distress following such targeted backlash. Conversely, when we do not bring some victims in the public eye, sometimes they feel as if they are being sidelined,’

Another commission member and human rights activist, Nur Khan Liton, alleged that perpetrators in all forces were threatening members and subjected surviving victims to surveillance.

United People›s Democratic Front leader Maichel Chakma, also a surviving victim, alleged that he was forced to switch off his mobile phone to avoid surveillance of intelligence agencies.

‘In the first week of June, I came to know from a close source in an intelligence agency that I am now under surveillance,’ Maichel told New Age on Friday.

Quoting the intelligence member, Maichel said that he was doing excesses according to members of that intelligence agency and was now under surveillance of the agency.

He, however, did not disclose the name of the agency.

Co-founder Sanjida Islam Tulee of Maayer Daak, a platform of families of victims of enforced disappearances, said that surviving victims were facing threats and intimidations.

‘I have heard that several incidents took place in Dhaka and Chattogram. Our family has also faced intimidation,’ Tulee said.

Home adviser retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury could not be reached for comment despite several attempts. The interim government formed the commission following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 past year amid a student-led mass uprising.

The commission claimed that it had so far found proof and documents of 253 incidents of enforced disappearance out of the 1,850 allegations they had received.

The incidents of these enforced disappearance occurred during the Awami League regime between January 6, 2009 and August 5, 2024, according to the commission.​

 

[Saif]

Ensure justice for the disappeared

Hold those responsible for enforced disappearances to account

www.thedailystar.net

Ensure justice for the disappeared
Hold those responsible for enforced disappearances to account

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has expressed deep concerns over the widespread impunity surrounding enforced disappearances in the country and has called on Bangladesh to ensure genuine accountability from its security, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies. Following a four-day visit to the country, it published a report highlighting these concerns. We echo the UN's concerns, as we still await a full account of the state-sponsored human rights violations that occurred during the 15-year rule of the Awami League. After the July uprising that led to the fall of the AL government, the public expected that those responsible for such grave human rights abuses would be held accountable. Unfortunately, we have yet to see significant progress in the investigation of these enforced disappearance cases.

Soon after taking office, the interim government established a commission to investigate all cases of enforced disappearances. It also ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, making Bangladesh accountable to international human rights bodies. The commission has verified 1,350 cases of disappearance and identified 16 secret detention centres, known as Aynaghar, which were used for torture. Evidence suggests that these were not isolated incidents, but part of a coordinated system operated under centralised authority. Investigations revealed that state security forces, including the RAB, DGFI, and the Detective Branch, were directly involved in these grave human rights violations. As highlighted in a fact-finding report by the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the AL government systematically abused the justice system and security apparatus to suppress civil society, targeting journalists, activists, and dissenting voices through intimidation and enforced disappearances. Such practices must stop once and for all. The next elected government must make a firm commitment that such grave human rights violations will never be repeated in future.

To deliver justice in these cases and to prevent future human rights violations, the state must ensure full accountability and uphold fair trial standards in all judicial proceedings, as emphasised by the UN Working Group. Preserving the evidence properly is of utmost importance. Survivors of enforced disappearances have recently called on the government to establish independent oversight mechanisms for all security and intelligence agencies, while also urging the state to formally acknowledge the role of these agencies in past rights violations, which is critical in ensuring justice for the victims. Furthermore, the repressive laws such as the Special Powers Act, 1974, and the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2013, which have reportedly been used to justify extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances—and are also incompatible with international human rights standards—must be repealed. Last but not least, the security institutions must regain public trust and legitimacy "through genuine accountability processes within these institutions," as the UN Working Group has suggested.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced disappearances: Justice must be done

The darkest chapters in a nation's history are often written not by foreign enemies but by its own ruling forces. In Bangladesh, the scourge of enforced disappearances under the previous Awami League regime has emerged as one such shameful chapter -- a terrifying manifestation of state-spons

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Enforced disappearances: Justice must be done

MIR MOSTAFIZUR RAHAMAN
Published :
Jun 30, 2025 22:30
Updated :
Jun 30, 2025 22:30

The darkest chapters in a nation's history are often written not by foreign enemies but by its own ruling forces. In Bangladesh, the scourge of enforced disappearances under the previous Awami League regime has emerged as one such shameful chapter -- a terrifying manifestation of state-sponsored violence, abuse of power, and the collapse of democratic accountability. Today, as the nation stands at a critical juncture in its political transition, the demand for justice is louder and more urgent than ever. And justice delayed in this case, as history repeatedly warns us, would be justice denied -- not just for victims, but for the very soul of the Republic.

Soon after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, the interim government acted with commendable resolve by forming the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearance. That commission recently submitted its second interim report, bringing to light findings that are as explosive as they are distressing. The report does not merely narrate individual acts of abuse -- it exposes an entire architecture of violence, linking the disappearances directly to the political and military high command.

According to the Commission's findings, key political figures -- including Sheikh Hasina, General Tariq Siddiqui, the former Home Minister, and other senior officials -- were embedded in the strategic decision-making layer that had the authority to order abductions and extrajudicial killings. These were not rogue operations. These were calculated acts of terror designed to silence dissent, intimidate the opposition, and crush voices of resistance -- executed with military precision and political approval.

The report further revealed the existence of a clear chain of command: from the top civilian leadership to senior military officers and down to the operational ranks. Tragically, many of these mid- to senior-level officers, who could have served as critical witnesses, are now absconding. Their absence severely undermines the possibility of getting full truth and poses a major impediment to ensuring justice.

Those officers who were strategically placed between the political command and the executing forces were in the best position to confirm that the orders for these crimes came from the highest levels of civilian authority. Their testimony would not only help to hold individual perpetrators accountable but also shield the broader institution of the military from unjust collective blame.

But their disappearance now threatens to cut off that essential link. This absence does not merely frustrate legal proceedings; it provides space for denials, disinformation, and ultimately impunity. It also risks painting the entire security apparatus with the brush of criminality, when in truth, responsibility lies with a handful of powerful individuals.

The Commission's findings show that even after the democratic opening provided by the regime change, a culture of silence and non-cooperation persists.

For instance, a former intelligence officer reportedly told the Commission that their unit had nothing to fear because, though they detained individuals incommunicado, they did not "engage in other forms of misconduct." Such logic reflects a dangerous normalisation of illegal detention and a deeper institutional tendency to minimise or obscure wrongdoing.

This attitude not only frustrates justice but re-traumatises the families of the disappeared. Their anguish -- already immeasurable -- is deepened by the knowledge that those responsible are either in hiding or being shielded. The prospect of truth, accountability, and closure continues to be postponed indefinitely. That this is occurring after a change of government, when there was hope for transparency, makes it especially tragic and unacceptable.

The Commission has documented further disturbing developments. On 6 January 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued arrest warrants for eleven individuals, including senior military officials formerly associated with the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). These individuals, the report reveals, were directly responsible for operations at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) -- widely known as Aynaghar -- where many disappeared individuals were last seen alive.

Based on the clear command structure, it is beyond reasonable doubt that these crimes could not have occurred without the explicit knowledge of DGFI leadership. Accordingly, the Commission requested the cancellation of their passports in November 2024 -- a request granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the time of issuing the warrants, many of these accused were reportedly still residing in Dhaka Cantonment. However, none of the warrants have been executed to date.

Given that their passports were revoked, their escape raises grave questions about collusion or negligence within the security apparatus. Were they allowed to flee? Did someone within the chain of command deliberately turn a blind eye?

The Commission rightly warns that the failure to bring these crimes to justice will not only haunt the families of the disappeared but also erode the credibility of some national institutions. Indeed, the damage is already underway. Those within the forces who support reform and justice are finding themselves demoralised. If the senior officers can abscond without consequences, why should lower-ranking personnel believe in reform?

This absence of accountability sets a perilous precedent. It implies that political leaders and security officials can orchestrate the disappearance, torture, and murder of citizens -- and then escape justice simply by evading summons or hiding behind institutional shields. Such impunity is a direct threat to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

Justice for the victims of enforced disappearances must be more than a slogan; it must be an uncompromising national commitment. The interim government must take decisive and transparent steps to locate and arrest the absconding security officials, using all intelligence and law enforcement tools at its disposal.

The authorities must hold accountable those who facilitated their escape, whether through inaction or active collusion.

Witness protection should be ensured so that lower-ranking officers feel safe to testify about their orders and experiences.

The government should engage international human rights bodies, including the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, to lend support and legitimacy to domestic efforts.

History is watching. So are the victims' families, who have spent years in despair, often holding on only to the hope that the truth will someday be known and justice served. If this hope is crushed now, it will not be a mere policy failure -- it will be a moral collapse.

More than anything else, the enforced disappearances under the previous regime represent a betrayal of the social contract between the state and its citizens. Unless justice is done -- and seen to be done -- that contract remains broken. And in a broken republic, no one is truly safe.

The victims of enforced disappearance are not just statistics. They were sons, daughters, fathers, journalists, political opponents, and activists. They had names, dreams, and rights. To abandon them now is to abandon the very ideals upon which our Republic is founded.

Justice must not only be pursued - it must be delivered. And it must be delivered now.​

 

[Saif]

Extend inquiry commission's mandate

Amnesty writes to president

www.thedailystar.net

Enforced Disappearances
Extend inquiry commission's mandate
Amnesty writes to president

Amnesty International has sent a letter to President Mohammed Shahabuddin, urging him to extend the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

The letter, signed by Friedhelm Kuhl of Amnesty International Group and dated June 17, urged the interim government to ensure that the commission's efforts can continue.

The mandate of the commission was slated to end yesterday.

"Victims were frequently held and subjected to torture and ill-treatment at secret detention sites, including a notorious site within DGFI's headquarters referred to as Aynaghar or 'House of Mirrors,' and similar secret sites run by Rab. Some victims disappeared for weeks or months before being brought to court to face fabricated criminal charges, while others were detained for years or extrajudicially killed. Although a few victims were released in August 2024, many families are still waiting to learn the truth about their loved ones' fate," said the letter sent to the president.

"When the commission inspected secret detention sites run by the DGFI and Rab, it found recent attempts to conceal and destroy evidence of these abuses, such as the removal of walls to enlarge cramped cells, fresh paint over walls on which victims had carved their names, and at the Rab-1 site, a bricked over entrance to cells so small that victims could not lie down," it added.

It continued, "The commision has found that security forces under Sheikh Hasina and top Awami League leaders used disappearances to target political opponents, activists and others expressing dissent."

"Security forces involved in disappearances include specialised police units -- the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Detective Branch, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes -- and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI)," said the letter.

It commended the interim government for forming a commission and committing to international protocols to protect citizens from enforced disappearance.

"However, to end the work of the commission prematurely, in the midst of its fact finding and prior to its completion of a final report, would undermine the interim government's efforts thus far to secure justice, truth and reparations for those who suffered these gross violations."

"I strongly urge the interim government to ensure the commission's vital efforts are not cut short," it concluded.​

 

[Saif]

Action if army members found involved in enforced disappearances: Army

Ahead of the next general election, the army is working to ensure a stable situation in the country.

en.prothomalo.com

Action if army members found involved in enforced disappearances: Army

UNB
Published: 03 Jul 2025, 19: 14

No army personnel will be spared if proved involved in enforced disappearances, said Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam, Staff Colonel of the Military Operations Directorate.

“When army personnel are on deputation, we don’t have direct control over them. However, investigations are ongoing. If anyone is proved involved in enforced disappearances, the army will take action,” he said at a press briefing held at Dhaka Cantonment on Thursday.

Replying to a question, he said ahead of the next general election, the army is working to ensure a stable situation in the country.

Colonel Shafiqul said 80 percent of the looted arms have already been recovered and expressed the hope that the remaining weapons would also be retrieved soon.

Around 12,000 arms had gone missing, of which approximately 9,000 have been recovered so far, he added.

The army official also informed that 4,790 people received treatment at Combined Military Hospitals (CMHs) during the last year July movement.

Currently, 22 patients are undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka.

The law and order situation has improved significantly compared to previous periods, with the army remaining deployed to support efforts in maintaining peace.​

 

[Saif]

Enforced disappearance victims depict horrific torture in secret detention cells

Harrowing tales of torture methods including “waterboarding” was inflicted on victims of enforced disappearances in secret detention cells run by RAB

en.prothomalo.com

Enforced disappearance victims depict horrific torture in secret detention cells

Mehedi HasanDhaka
Published: 05 Jul 2025, 19: 51

Harrowing tales of torture including "waterboarding" was inflicted on victims of enforced disappearance in secret detention cells run by RAB (Rapid Action Battalion).

This information emerged in the second interim report of the commission investigating enforced disappearances. On 4 June, the report titled “Unfolding the Truth: A Structural Diagnosis of Enforced Disappearance in Bangladesh” was handed over to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The report analysed about 1,850 complaints and presented information on 253 victims of enforced disappearance, according to the commission.

The report contains chilling accounts of many people who disappeared at the hands of law enforcement and security agencies. The victims spoke of being kept in unsanitary cells, being beaten while hung upside down, having their nails pulled out, suffering electric shocks, and being tortured in various ways — including being strapped into a spinning chair.

In most cases, no written records were kept of these disappearances, abductions, or detentions. As a result, the perpetrators evaded accountability, the report notes.

Earlier, on 14 December last year, the commission submitted its first interim report. That report detailed who was involved in enforced disappearances during the 15 years of the Awami League government, how the abductions took place, and how victims were tortured or killed.

“I was suffocating”

A 27-year-old man, detained by RAB-10 in 2017 for 39 days, said in his testimony, “They started pouring water over a towel covering my face. They poured a whole jug of water on my face. I was suffocating. Then they removed the towel and said, ‘What were you doing?’ I said, ‘Sir, what can I say? Please tell me why you brought me here.’ They said, ‘That won’t do. Put the towel back, pour water again.’ They did this three or four times, then asked others to take me away.”

This torture method was a regular practice. And he wasn’t alone — many others recounted similar horrific experiences.

Constant CCTV surveillance

Victims said they were kept for days in unsanitary cells — small, dark rooms where the eating area and toilet were the same. When they lay down to sleep, their bodies rested over the toilet pan. Continuous surveillance was maintained via CCTV, even while they used the toilet — causing extreme humiliation and shame.

Torture on spinning chair

Multiple testimonies described spinning devices in the cells. The commission confirmed the existence of two types of such machine. One was a spinning chair used at RAB’s Taskforce for Interrogation Cell (TFI).

Victims said they were strapped into the chair and spun at high speed — causing vomiting, loss of bladder or bowel control, or unconsciousness.
At the DGFI-controlled Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), an even more horrific spinning device was used, designed to spin the entire body rather than just a chair.

“Special punishment” for female detainees

Women faced particularly shameful and severe abuse. A 25-year-old woman detained by the police in 2018 testified, “They tied my hands and forced me to face the window. Without my scarf, male officers came and stared at me. They said things like, ‘Such purdah before, totally stripped off now.’”

She added, “Once they tortured me so much that my period started. When I asked for a pad, the officers laughed at me.”

“They wouldn’t let me sleep”

In 2015, a 46-year-old man was detained for 391 days by various law enforcement agencies. Describing the torture he endured, he said, “They wouldn’t let me sleep. After interrogations, they would take away my pillow. In winter, they would remove both the blanket and pillow. They made me sit with my weight on my bare feet, without a chair. Sometimes they would handcuff me and chain me to the bed. Even when mosquitoes bit me, I couldn’t swat them. That’s how they punished me.”

Immense mental pressure

The report states that severe beatings were the most common method of torture. Almost every victim experienced extensive physical assault. Even those who weren’t subjected to any “special” torture were brutally beaten. In many cases, victims were beaten while hanging upside down. This kind of torture was more common among the police than the military.

Sometimes medicines or ointments were used to conceal the marks of torture. Victims would not be brought before the public until their wounds were hidden. The report notes that after release, many victims appeared before magistrates still bearing visible signs of torture — but often those marks were ignored.

The report also states that victims of enforced disappearance were often given little food. They were kept handcuffed, blindfolded, and isolated in solitary cells. The uncertainty about their fate created a constant and unrelenting psychological pressure.

“He doesn’t speak properly anymore”

Even after release, most victims suffered long-term psychological trauma. Many saw their education, careers, or marriage prospects ruined. Some required medical treatment. Fake cases filed against them cost families an average of Tk 700,000.

A 16-year-old abducted by RAB’s intelligence unit and RAB-3 in 2019 was held for 20 months and 13 days. His father said, “…(after he came back) he would just sit quietly, then suddenly get angry. If someone asked him something, he would slap them… now he just laughs to himself. He doesn’t speak and respond properly. He’s not like he was before.”

He said his son does not want to take medicine.

The father of the 16-year-old said he does not even have the money required to hire a lawyer for battle the case.

“Reality was even more horrific”

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances was formed on 15 September last year. It began work to trace, identify, and document the circumstances of the disappeared.

Commission member and human rights activist Sazzad Hossain told Prothom Alo, “The reality is far worse that we had imagined about the torture of disappeared persons. It’s unimaginable if you don’t hear from the victims! No form of torture was spared. They tortured people until they were on the brink of death.”​

 

[Saif]

Electric shocks, nail removal, and other forms of torture at secret detention cells

A gamchha (thin cotton towel) would be draped over the face, and water poured over it, cutting off airflow. The sheer terror, suffocation, and pain would often cause victims to pass out. This method, known as waterboarding, was one of the horrific torture techniques used at secret detention...

en.prothomalo.com

Electric shocks, nail removal, and other forms of torture at secret detention cells
The report paints a harrowing picture of abductions carried out by law enforcement and security agencies, with no official records maintained in most cases.

Mehedi Hasan Dhaka
Published: 07 Jul 2025, 17: 59

A gamchha (thin cotton towel) would be draped over the face, and water poured over it, cutting off airflow. The sheer terror, suffocation, and pain would often cause victims to pass out. This method, known as waterboarding, was one of the horrific torture techniques used at secret detention facilities operated by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on victims of enforced disappearance.

The second interim report by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances reveals such disturbing accounts of the torture methods employed in these secret facilities, as recounted by the victims themselves.

These included being held in unsanitary cells, beaten while hung upside down, fingernails pulled out, subjected to electric shocks, or placed in spinning chairs, each method more inhumane than the previous one.

On 4 June, the commission presented the report, titled “Unfolding the Truth: A Structural Diagnosis of Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh,” to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The report analysed nearly 1,850 complaints and documented the cases of 253 individuals subjected to enforced disappearance.

The report paints a harrowing picture of abductions carried out by law enforcement and security agencies, with no official records maintained in most cases. This lack of documentation, the report notes, enabled perpetrators to evade accountability for the torture and disappearances.

Torture in a spinning chair

One 27-year-old man recounted his 39-day detention by RAB in 2017: “They started pouring water over a gamchha on my face. They used an entire jug. I couldn’t breathe. Then they removed the towel and asked, ‘What were you doing?’ I said, ‘Sir, please tell me why you’ve brought me here.’ They replied, ‘No, this won’t do. Put the towel back, pour the water again.’ This happened three or four times before they said, ‘Take him back.’”

The commission identified two kinds of spinning devices used to disorient and torment detainees. One was a rotating chair reportedly used in RAB’s Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell, in which detainees were spun at high speed, causing some to vomit, lose control of their bowels, or faint.

The other, more severe device, used in the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) run by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), was not a chair but a machine designed to spin the entire body.

Electric shocks during urination

A 25-year-old woman detained by police in 2018 said, “They tied my hands and made me face the window. Without a scarf, the male officers would look at me and laugh, saying, ‘So much for modesty; now it’s all gone.’ Once they tortured me so badly that my period started. When I asked for a sanitary napkin, they laughed at me.”

In RAB custody, torture often involved beatings with eyes blindfolded. Detainees were told to urinate, and as they did, they would receive electric shocks. One survivor said, “The moment I urinated, I felt like I was being launched five feet into the air. It felt as if a massive jolt had hit my body.”

They tied my hands and made me face the window. Without a scarf, the male officers would look at me and laugh, saying, ‘So much for modesty; now it’s all gone.’ Once they tortured me so badly that my period started. When I asked for a sanitary napkin, they laughed at me.

According to the report, electric shocks were the second most frequently used form of torture by RAB, due to their portability and ease of use in vehicles, cells, or hidden locations.

Hanging upside down and beaten

A 46-year-old man who was held for 391 days said, “They wouldn’t let me sleep. I had to sit on bare feet without a chair. Sometimes they handcuffed me to the bed. Even when mosquitoes bit me, I couldn’t move to swat them.”

The report found that beatings were the most common form of torture, often carried out with extreme cruelty. Victims were frequently suspended upside down while being beaten.

To conceal evidence of torture, authorities would sometimes apply ointments or medicines. Detainees would not be presented in court until the marks faded.

In several cases, however, victims appeared before magistrates bearing clear signs of abuse, which were often ignored.

Whatever we thought we knew about the torture of disappeared individuals, the reality is far worse. Unless you hear the victims’ testimonies, you cannot imagine it.
Sazzad Hossain, a commission member and human rights activist.

Many were kept in solitary confinement, blindfolded and handcuffed, with minimal food. The uncertainty over their fate caused deep and continuous psychological distress.

Long-term trauma

The report states that most released victims continued to suffer from long-term trauma.

In one case, a 16-year-old boy was picked up by RAB in 2019 and held for 20 months and 13 days. His father said, “After coming back, he would just sit quietly. Suddenly, he’d get angry and slap anyone who spoke to him… Now he just laughs to himself. He avoids conversation and can no longer communicate normally. He’s not the same as before.”

The father added, “He refuses to take his medication. I’ve stopped going to lawyers too, there’s no money left.”

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances was formed on 15 September last year to trace and identify the disappeared and investigate the circumstances of their abduction.

Its first interim report, submitted to the interim government on 14 December last year, also contained chilling descriptions of how people were abducted, tortured, or even killed.

Speaking about this, Sazzad Hossain, a commission member and human rights activist, told Prothom Alo, “Whatever we thought we knew about the torture of disappeared individuals, the reality is far worse. Unless you hear the victims’ testimonies, you cannot imagine it. There was no method of torture that wasn’t used. They were tortured right up to the brink of death.”​