Independent probes into enforced disappearances demanded

Speakers at a roundtable have called for independent and impartial investigations into all cases of enforced disappearance, urging the government not to allow law enforcement agencies accused of such abuses to investigate themselves.

The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) organised the roundtable titled “Justice for Enforced Disappearances: Protection of Victims, Reparations, Accountability of Security Forces and Legal Reform” at the National Press Club in the capital on Saturday, marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Lawyers, human rights activists, researchers, journalists and relatives of victims attended the event.

Supreme Court lawyer Md Moniruzzaman, also general secretary of HRSS, delivered the welcome address, while its executive director Ejazul Islam presented the keynote paper.

Among the speakers were barrister Sara Hossain of legal aid organisation BLAST, photographer and activist Shahidul Alam, and Nur Khan Liton and Dr Nabila Idris, both former members of the government’s Commission of Inquiry into Enforced Disappearances.

The speakers criticised the draft Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy Act and National Human Rights Commission Act, saying the proposed laws could weaken rather than strengthen accountability.  

Barrister Sara Hossain warned that unless investigations were made genuinely independent, the proposed legislation could amount to “a major deception”. However, she said the bills contained provisions that victims had long demanded and should be improved rather than simply scrapped.

She said the drafts lagged behind legislation in other South Asian countries and urged the parliamentary standing committee to ensure provisions for independent investigations before the bills are passed.

Photographer and activist Shahidul Alam said the fall of the previous government had brought no real change for victims. He criticised a provision under which complainants could face imprisonment if their allegations were not proved, saying it could discourage victims from seeking justice and shield security agencies from accountability.

He also questioned the effectiveness of the proposed National Human Rights Commission if it cannot investigate allegations involving security forces, citing the case of Meraj Sheikh, who was reportedly taken from Mongla in Bagerhat on 10 April.

Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, a lawmaker and survivor of enforced disappearance, expressed “extreme shame” as a sitting MP over what he described as the weakness of the draft law. He said it could send security forces “a covert signal” that they could act with impunity.

Human rights activist Nur Khan said there would be little point in maintaining the National Human Rights Commission at significant public expense if it could not investigate enforced disappearances allegedly committed by law enforcement or security forces.

He said disappearance cases were often complex, with detainees allegedly being transferred between different agencies. Referring to Meraj Sheikh, Nur Khan urged the government to take immediate and visible action by either ensuring his return or disclosing what happened to him.

Relatives of disappeared persons, including family members of Mizanur Rahman Jomadder, Zakir Hossain, Idris Ali Panna, Meraj Sheikh and Muhammad Muqaddas Hossain, described years of uncertainty and demanded information about their loved ones. Liza Islam, sister of Meraj Sheikh, appealed for his safe return.

The HRSS presented a 12-point charter of demands, including the recovery of all missing persons, independent investigations into disappearance allegations dating back to 2009, consultation with victims’ families before the laws are finalised, mandatory digital custody registers, witness protection and preservation of alleged secret detention sites, including the so-called “Aynaghar” facilities, as documentation centres.

The organisation said justice for victims was “not a matter of political revenge” but an issue of state accountability, and urged the government to bring the proposed laws in line with international human rights standards.