The former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been implicated in alleged enforced disappearances according to an interim report commissioned by Bangladesh’s interim government. The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances released this report to local media, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into human rights violations during her tenure.
The report further implicates several specialized units within the Bangladesh Police, such as the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the Detective Branch (DB), and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC). Officers from these groups allegedly carried out abductions in plainclothes and are accused of coordinating activities across different police units. For instance, an officer from one unit would reportedly abduct an individual and transfer them to another unit where they might be unlawfully detained, killed, or released.
Enforced disappearances have reportedly been occurring in Bangladesh since 2009, and according to the commission, around 3,500 cases occurred during Sheikh Hasina’s regime of the Awami League. Citing a report from Human Rights Watch, although some of those who disappeared were eventually released or arraigned, many remain unaccounted for.
The allegations come amid broader concerns regarding human rights abuses under Hasina’s leadership. An earlier report from Odhikar, a Bangladesh-based human rights organization, detailed various forms of violations, including mass arrests, torture, and restrictions on freedom of expression.
The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus, established the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in August, with a mandate to provide justice to the victims and their families. Additionally, Bangladesh acceded to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, an important international treaty aimed at eradicating enforced disappearances. This move is seen as a step towards addressing the claims of governmental abuses, as defined by the convention, which prohibits enforced disappearances under any circumstances.
The full details of the interim report were publicly shared in JURIST, bringing increased scrutiny to these allegations that could bring significant changes to Bangladesh’s political landscape and its approach to human rights.