An inquiry commission in Bangladesh has revealed that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with several high-ranking officials from her government and security forces, may have been involved in enforced disappearances. This conclusion was reached in the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances’ first interim report, which was submitted to the caretaker administration chief, Muhammad Yunus, on Saturday.
The report also calls for the disbandment of the controversial Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), which has been accused of human rights violations. The commission’s investigation identified key individuals, including Hasina’s former defence adviser, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and sacked Major General Ziaul Ahsan, as being involved in the disappearances. Senior police officers, such as Monirul Islam and Mohammed Harun-Or-Rashid, were also implicated.
Retired justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, who leads the five-member commission, confirmed that the body had received 1,676 complaints related to enforced disappearances. Of these, 758 have been scrutinized so far. The commission estimates that the total number of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh could exceed 3,500, with a pattern of systematic cover-up to keep these incidents undetected.
The commission is continuing its investigation and plans to submit its next interim report in March, with the full scrutiny expected to take at least a year. Yunus, in his role as caretaker administration chief, expressed his support for the commission’s efforts, praising the importance of the work. He also committed to visiting some of the secret detention centres (“Aynaghar”) and joint interrogation cells uncovered during the inquiry to witness the victims’ suffering firsthand.
There has been no immediate response from Sheikh Hasina or her political party, the Awami League, to the commission’s report. Sheikh Hasina, who stepped down under pressure from widespread protests, is currently in India, and the interim government formed shortly after her departure has begun investigating her role in the disappearances. The commission’s findings could escalate tensions between Bangladesh and India, as Yunus has indicated the possibility of seeking Hasina’s extradition, though no formal request has been made as yet.
Sources By Agencies
