Forced Disappearances in Bangladesh first occurred under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's regime between 1972 to 1975. Many members of Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, army officers and other opposition party members were picked up by Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini, an elite para-military force formed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The second phase of forced disappearance started in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League party took power in 2009. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Since then, during her regime, around 300 people have been forcefully disappeared by the state security forces.
Contents
- Background
- Pre election period of 2013
- Chowdhury Alam
- Ilyas Ali
- Aminul Islam
- Salahuddin Ahmed
- Sukharanjan Bali
- Other cases
- Allegation of abduction against convicted law enforcer
- Related issues
- Criticism
- References
According to the report of a domestic human rights organization, 82 people were forcefully disappeared from January to September in 2014. The activists and leaders of opposition parties constitute the majority of the victims. After the disappearances, at least 39 of the victims were found dead while others remained missing. Before the controversial national election of 2014, at least 20 opposition men were picked up by the security forces. At least 89 people have been victims of enforced disappearances in 2016.
Background
After the Awami League party assumed power in the country through election in 2009, law and order situation began to deteriorate with opposition men being attacked by the ruling party men that left several opposition men killed and many others injured. Armed conflicts and violence erupted in the university campuses throughout the country. Political activities of the opposition parties were often attacked. From 2010, picking up of opposition leaders and activists by the state security forces began to surge in the country.
Pre-election period of 2013
Throughout most of 2013, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its alliance observed nationwide general strikes and blockades in demand of a non-partisan interim government or a caretaker government to hold the next general election of 2014. The E.U., the U.S. and the Commonwealth announced that they would not send observers since they were concerned about the credibility of the election. Before the controversial national election of 2014, 20 opposition men were picked up by security forces. As of 2016, they remained missing.
Chowdhury Alam
Probably the first recorded case of enforced disappearance was that of Chowdhury Alam. On 25 June 2010, an opposition leader Chowdhury Alam was arrested by the state police and remained missing since then. His abduction was later denied by the law enforcing agencies.
Ilyas Ali
On 17 April 2012, Ilyas Ali, another prominent leader of the main opposition party BNP, went missing after last being seen in Dhaka at midnight with his driver. His private car was found abandoned near his Dhaka home. In the following days, five of his party men died and many were injured as they observed strikes and demonstration programs in protest of the disappearance. The incident got much media coverage.
Aminul Islam
Aminul Islam, a Bangladeshi trade unionist, was a member of Bangladesh Garment & Industrial Workers Federation and an organizer for the Bangladesh Center of Worker Solidarity. On 5 April 2012, Islam’s dead body was found near Dhaka after being disappeared earlier. The body bore marks of torture. His disappearance and murder sparked much international criticism.
Salahuddin Ahmed
Joint secretary general of BNP went missing on March 10, 2015. He was picked up by group of unknown people from Uttara, Dhaka. He was later found arrested by police in Shillong, India.
Sukharanjan Bali
A prosecution witness who was abducted allegedly by plainclothes police on November 5, 2012 from gate of Supreme Court after he had decided to testify in favour of convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee. He was later traced to Kolkata’s Dumdum prison.
Other cases
Allegation of abduction against convicted law enforcer
On 27 November 2013, former BNP lawmaker Saiful Islam Hiru and BNP leader Humayun Kabir Parvez were abducted while going to Comilla from Laksham. Convicted murderer of Narayanganj Seven Murder, former RAB-11 official Lt Col (sacked) Tareque Sayeed is the number one accused in the case. RAB-11 is accused of burning 2 cars and killing Iqbal Mahmud Jewel in front of BNP leader Sahab Uddin Sabu in Lakshmipur on 23 December 2013. RAB-11 is also accused of throwing down Jamaat leader Foyez Ahmed from the roof of a 2 storied building. RAB -11 is also accused of abducting businessman Tajul Islam in a Hi-ace microbus on 17 February 2013. 13 days after abduction, Tajul's dead body was found from Meghna river. RAB-11 and Tareque Sayeed is accused in the case of abduction of businessman Ismail Hossain who has been missing since 7 February 2014.
Related issues
In April 2014, bodies of seven men were discovered from the Shitalakkhya river. They were strangled, blindfolded and thrown into the river, four days after they were kidnapped few kilometres from Narayanganj district court by RAB men who are accused to do it as contract killing. In this case, on January 16, 2016 ex-AL men, ex-RAB officials among 26 were handed death penalty as the charges of abduction, murder, concealing the bodies, conspiracy and destroying evidences were proved beyond any doubt. On December 12, 2016 RAB claimed arrest of a man from Dhaka who took Tk 50 lakh, posing as a source of law enforcers, from a family, in assurance of tracing a missing member of the family.
Criticism
The incidents of enforced disappearances were condemned by both domestic and international human rights organizations. The main opposition party BNP has held the government responsible for conducting these forced disappearances, and demanded an UN-sponsored investigation into such cases. The British parliament frequently expressed concerns over the forced disappearances of political opponents in Bangladesh. During her visit to Bangladesh in 2012, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concern over the disappearance of Ilyas Ali and Aminul Islam. Despite the demands for the government initiatives to probe such disappearances, investigations into such cases were absent.