Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that the government has initiated investigations and judicial proceedings for every incident of enforced disappearance. He made this announcement in a message delivered on Saturday (August 29), ahead of the International Day of the Disappeared, observed on Sunday (August 30).
In his message, the Prime Minister expressed deep sympathy and solidarity with all disappeared persons and their families worldwide, including Bangladesh.
He stated that enforced disappearance is one of the most heinous crimes in the world. It is a global problem and a severe violation of human rights, particularly prevalent in autocratic systems and regions marred by political conflict.
The Prime Minister noted that state security forces or law enforcement agencies often resort to cruel and brutal methods like enforced disappearances against anti-government movements or political leaders with dissenting views.
Accusing the previous government of Bangladesh, he said that the path of enforced disappearance and abduction was chosen to suppress the country’s democratic and political rights. Secret detention centers were created to hold people for months or even years, which became publicly known as ‘Aynaghar’.
The Prime Minister stated that, according to reports from domestic and international human rights organizations, the previous government, using law enforcement agencies, disappeared at least seven hundred people at various times. The current government has initiated investigations and judicial proceedings for every incident of enforced disappearance.
He also announced that separate legal frameworks are being formulated to prevent future enforced disappearances. Already, the ‘Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Bill, 2026’ and the ‘National Human Rights Commission Bill, 2026’ have been introduced in the National Parliament.
Tarique Rahman said that enforced disappearance or abduction is not just a statistic or the loss of an individual; it involves the dreams, aspirations, and hopes of an entire family. The lives of the disappeared person’s relatives remain trapped in uncertainty, and they are denied the opportunity to grieve normally.
Referring to the mass uprising of 2024, the Prime Minister stated that after a long anti-fascist movement and struggle, the then-government fell due to a mass uprising by brave students and the public. While some fortunate individuals have returned since then, countless others, like Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam, are still missing.
He further added that Article 7(2) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) defines enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity. Emphasis has also been placed on exemplary justice for crimes such as enforced disappearance.
Calling for global awareness and unity against enforced disappearances on the International Day of the Disappeared, the Prime Minister announced that this year’s theme is ‘Victims First, Actions Now’.
Finally, he called for global unity and solidarity to ensure justice and accountability for individuals and institutions involved in inhumane crimes like enforced disappearance.
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