Dhaka: BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has asserted that enforced disappearance is not merely an act of making a person vanish, but a brutal assault on human freedom, dignity, justice, and the right to live.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Rizvi emphasized the significance of 30 August, the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, by expressing profound sympathy and solidarity with victims and their families worldwide. In his message marking the day, Rizvi reflected on the individuals affected by enforced disappearance in Bangladesh during periods of state oppression and authoritarian rule, acknowledging their suffering and the uncertainty surrounding their fates.
Rizvi highlighted the anguish faced by families waiting for news of their loved ones, emphasizing the denial of the right to know the truth as an unbearable burden. He described enforced disappearance as a tool of political repression in Bangladesh's recent history, affecting numerous individuals, including opposition leaders, activists, human rights defenders, and dissidents. Many families remain unaware of the conditions or whereabouts of their missing loved ones, presenting a significant moral challenge to the nation.
The message conveyed that the BNP is committed to uncovering the truth behind each disappearance, advocating for impartial investigations, and ensuring justice by holding those responsible accountable. Rizvi stressed the importance of recognizing the rights of disappeared persons and their families to truth, justice, compensation, and rehabilitation.
Rizvi expressed a vision for a future Bangladesh where no state agency uses disappearance as a weapon against citizens, where law enforcement operates with accountability, and where citizens' rights are protected regardless of political identity or opinion. He called for revealing the truth about the missing, ensuring justice for those who have returned or will never return, and providing their families with truth, recognition, and justice.