Dhaka: Retired Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CIED), emphasized that judges are pivotal defenders and advocates of human rights, beyond their judicial duties. “Incidents of enforced disappearance are not only a matter of judicial process but also a question of human rights, morality, and accountability. Every judicial decision in favor of justice represents a stand for humanity,” he stated during the inaugural session of a workshop titled ‘Ensuring Justice: The Role of the Judiciary in Addressing Enforced Disappearances’ at Hotel Amari in Gulshan.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the event was organized by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Dhaka. Chowdhury highlighted the Commission’s efforts in fostering cooperation among the judiciary, law enforcement, and human rights institutions to prevent disappearances. He pointed out the necessity of enhancing the judiciary and investigation agencies’ capacities through international human rights law, evidence analysis, and technological applications. The Commission has initiated workshops for judges to achieve this objective.
Law and Justice Division Secretary Liakat Ali Mollah remarked that a judge serves as the conscience of society, not just an interpreter of law. He stressed that justice infused with compassion leads to true healing. Commission Member Justice Md Farid Ahmed Shibli advocated for institutional reforms to ensure effective investigation and trial of disappearance-related cases. He mentioned that the Commission is reviewing legal frameworks and preparing recommendations for amending laws to facilitate speedy trials, witness protection, and legal aid for victims’ families.
Commission member Md Nur Khan Liton urged judges to take accountability in preventing disappearances and emphasized their courageous role in this regard. During the workshop’s working session, moderated by Commission Member Md Sajjad Hossain, judges discussed handling disappearance cases, focusing on evidence collection, witness examination, and application of human rights standards.
Key recommendations from the discussions included forming a permanent commission to prevent enforced disappearances, establishing a specialized investigative unit under the judiciary, creating a permanent monitoring cell for case complexities, raising public awareness, and improving information-sharing mechanisms between the Commission and the judiciary. The workshop saw participation from 90 individuals, including judges and Commission officials, with plans for three additional workshops under this initiative.