Inquiry Commission Reports Evidence of Sheikh Hasina's Involvement in Enforced Disappearances

An inquiry commission in Bangladesh has implicated former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in enforced disappearances. The Commission for Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance estimates over 3,500 such cases. "The commission has found evidence of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s involvement as the instructor in the incidents of enforced disappearance," stated the press wing of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's office.

The interim report, titled "Unfolding The Truth," was presented to Yunus at his Jamuna residence. Retired Supreme Court judge Mainul Islam Chowdhury, who chairs the commission, highlighted a systematic design that allowed these disappearances to remain undetected. Individuals involved often lacked knowledge about their victims, Chowdhury noted.

Key Figures and Allegations

The report also named Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre director Ziaul Ahsan, and senior police officers Monirul Islam and Mohammad Harun-Or-Rashid as involved. These ex-military and police officers are believed to have fled abroad following the ousting of Hasina's Awami League government on August 5 after a student-led uprising.

Rights activist Sajjad Hossain, a commission member, reported that they have recorded 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances and examined 758 cases. Of these, 200 individuals or 27% never returned, while others were officially recorded as arrested. The commission also discovered eight secret detention centres around Dhaka.

Proposed Reforms and Future Plans

The commission proposed abolishing the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and amending the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009. RAB, comprising personnel from various military branches and police, allegedly collaborated with other agencies to detain and torture victims. The operations were deliberately segmented to avoid detection.

Besides Chowdhury, the commission includes Justice Farid Ahmed Shibli, rights activist Nur Khan, BRAC University teacher Nabila Idris, and Sajjad Hossain. They plan to deliver another interim report in March and require at least another year to review all allegations thoroughly.

Yunus expressed support for the commission's work: "You are doing a really very important job. We are ready to give you all kinds of support that you need." This statement underscores the significance of addressing these human rights violations.

Media outlets have interviewed several victims of enforced disappearances, including former military officers and opposition activists who opposed Hasina's regime. These interviews highlight the ongoing impact of these alleged human rights abuses on individuals and families.