Dhaka: Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul today stated that enforced disappearances, killings, and crimes against humanity are on the priority list of the interim government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the adviser emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring justice for the crimes and brutalities that occurred during Sheikh Hasina’s regime. He remarked that addressing these issues is crucial for preventing their recurrence. Dr. Nazrul shared these comments while leading a view-exchange meeting organized by the Law and Justice Division on the proposed ‘Disappearance Prevention and Remedies Ordinance, 2025’. The meeting took place at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital.
Highlighting the painful history of enforced disappearances in the country, particularly over the last 15 years, Dr. Nazrul acknowledged the opportunity created by the July uprising to rebuild Bangladesh through the sacrifices of young students. He noted that Bangladesh has ratified the ‘International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED)’, despite lacking a dedicated national law to address these cases.
Dr. Nazrul pointed out that while international criminal law recognizes widespread and systematic enforced disappearances as crimes against humanity, there is no specific definition or punishment outlined for such acts in Bangladesh’s legal framework. He mentioned that the Enforced Disappearances Commission is actively working on the issue and will submit their report soon.
Discussing reforms, Dr. Nazrul underscored the government’s desire for legal and institutional changes to deter future occurrences of these crimes.