For more than one-and-a-half decades, enforced disappearances have been a persistent human rights violation in Bangladesh.
Ignoring the rule of law, this practice has plunged hundreds of families into uncertainty and suffering.
Alongside extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances are internationally acknowledged as one of the most heinous forms of human rights violations.
Unfortunately, under the rule of the Awami League government, ousted by a mass uprising, enforced disappearance became a kind of hallmark or signature of their administration.
History and horror of enforced disappearances
According to data from the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), 629 people fell victim to enforced disappearances between 2007-2023.
Some were later found dead, some were released, and many were subsequently shown as arrested.
Yet, a large portion remains missing to this day.
Families, year after year, remain in agonising uncertainty, not knowing whether their loved ones are alive or dead.
The nature of disappearances under the Awami League government was almost similar.
Most victims were young, politically active leaders or members of opposition parties, student leaders, labour union organisers, journalists, or social activists.
Many were abducted from their homes in the late hours of the night, while others were taken from public places by individuals in plainclothes.
The white microbus with tinted-glass became one of the notorious symbols of these disappearances.
In the majority of cases, no arrest warrants were presented.
The 2013 case of Mahfuzur Rahman is a tragic example of enforced disappearance.
He went missing from Shahbagh while buying flowers for his son's birthday.
Still, there is no trace of him.
Similarly, in 2022, Mohsin Gazi was abducted from his home in Dhaka.
He was later shown as arrested in a robbery case. Such incidents reveal how the state machinery concealed the truth and forced the victims' families to endure insults to injuries year after year.
Violation of constitutional and international law
Articles 31, 32, and 33 of the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantee every citizen the right to life, liberty, and legal protection. Yet, in cases of enforced disappearances, these constitutional safeguards are completely violated.
Similarly, international human rights law explicitly considers enforced disappearances a crime against humanity. Bangladesh ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT) long ago and also became a party to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance in 2023.
Yet, despite all these legal commitments, enforced disappearances continued as a tool of political oppression.
On many occasions, government ministers have claimed, "Not a single disappearance has occurred," or suggested that the victims are "hiding of their own accord."
Such statements were a mockery of the suffering of hundreds of families and a stark reflection of a culture of impunity.
New Law: Death penalty and fine of Tk1 crore
Against this backdrop, the interim government took a groundbreaking step in August 2025.
In a meeting of the Advisory Council chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, the draft of the "Enforced Disappearance Prevention, Redress, and Protection Ordinance–2025" received principled approval.
According to the ordinance, the maximum punishment for enforced disappearances is the death penalty and a fine of Tk1 crore. Through this decision, the state has sent a clear message that enforced disappearances will not be taken lightly under any circumstances.
Other key aspects of the ordinance are:
- Empowering the National Human Rights Commission to independently inspect prisons, detention centres, and secret facilities
- Mandatory completion of trials within 120 days of filing a complaint, to prevent justice from being delayed in prolonged procedures
- Ensuring legal protection for victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers
- Establishing a special fund for compensation and rehabilitation
These initiatives are undoubtedly commendable.
However, legislation alone is not enough; effective implementation must be ensured. This requires the collective will of the government, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and the mass public.
Challenges of Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance
Alongside passing the ordinance, the interim government formed the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance to investigate the true extent of enforced disappearances.
The commission has already received over 1,800 complaints.
Some important information has also been revealed about about 300 of these victims.
Commission member and human rights activist Nur Khan has stated that the commission does not have the power to investigate or make arrests; its role is limited to gathering information. They work by collecting data from victims, eyewitnesses, and journalists.
The commission's work has been challenging because many of those who ordered or were directly involved in past enforced disappearance cases may still hold important positions in the state or have fled.
Nur Khan admits, "It is not easy to continue our work under these circumstances."
However, he expressed hope that by mid-December, it would be possible to submit at least a partial comprehensive report.
He also noted that it would not be possible to present the findings of all 1,800 complaints at once.
Uncertainty and suffering of victims' families
Enforced disappearance is not merely a legal or political issue; it is a devastating blow to human life.
With the loss of the earning member, families fall into extreme poverty.
Children's education is disrupted, and young wives are forced to fight life's battles alone.
Since the disappeared persons are not officially recorded in government documents, families cannot access bank accounts, property, or state benefits, worsening their financial hardship.
The most harrowing impact is the psychological tormentation.
Many mothers say they would at least like to see their sons' graves. Children repeatedly ask, "Why doesn't father buy me clothes for Eid?" This uncertainty becomes a lifelong reminder of mental torture for the families.
The road ahead: Demands for accountability and reform
To prevent crimes like enforced disappearance, new legislation alone is not enough. Each case requires an independent and impartial investigation, and those responsible, no matter how high their rank, must be held accountable.
The dark shadow of 15 years of disappearances still hangs over Bangladesh. Yet, the initiatives of the interim government formed after the mass uprising have given new hope. On one hand, the new law with provisions for the death penalty and financial penalties, and on the other, the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance's efforts to collect information, these are undoubtedly positive steps.
But true success will depend on implementation and accountability. To alleviate the suffering of the affected families, it is necessary to ensure not only responsible action but also real justice.
If the state truly wishes to restore its moral dignity, it must bring those responsible for disappearances to justice and bring this dark chapter to a permanent end.
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