Dhaka: BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has pledged that if his party is voted to power, they will enact appropriate laws in accordance with the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) to ensure that none becomes a victim of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh. ‘Justice must be served for this heinous and serious crime against humanity,’ he said in a message today on the eve of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Tarique Rahman stated that enforced disappearances are a global problem and a gross violation of human rights. He noted that such incidents occur especially in authoritarian regimes and regions with political conflicts. He added that the state’s security forces or law enforcement agencies often use such tactics against anti-government movements or political leaders with differing views.
Rahman expressed his concern about the incidents of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s regime. He mentioned that reliable human rights organizations have revealed that more than seven hundred people have been victims of enforced disappearances by law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh since January 2009. He lamented that justice has not been achieved in any case of enforced disappearance to date.
However, Rahman found hope in the fact that the current interim government has approved in principle the draft of the ‘Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance-2025’ to ensure that no more incidents occur in Bangladesh. He emphasized the personal tragedies involved, stating that the missing people were loved ones whose dreams and futures have been taken away, leaving behind a painful Bangladesh where human rights have been compromised.
Rahman highlighted that enforced disappearance is recognized as an international crime, referencing Article 7 (2) of the Rome Statute of the ICC, which defines it as a crime against humanity and stresses the need for justice for this human rights violation. He pointed out that the families of victims are deprived of justice and information about their loved ones’ whereabouts.
On the occasion of the international day, Rahman expressed condolences to the families of those affected by enforced disappearances worldwide due to political philosophies, race, languages, ethnic groups, cultures, and castes. He called for global unity and solidarity to bring to justice and hold accountable those involved in this crime.