Forced disappearance in Bangladesh

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Forced Disappearances in Bangladesh started in 2010. Since then, under the Awami League regime, at least 205 people have been enforcedly disappeared in Bangladesh by the state security forces.[1][2] According to the report of a domestic human rights organization, 82 people were enforcedly disappeared from January to September in 2014.[3] The activists and leaders of opposition parties constitute the majority of the victims. After the disappearances, a few of the victims were found dead while others remained missing.[4] Before the controversial national election of 2014, at least 19 opposition men were picked up by the security forces.[5]

Background

After the Awami League party assumed power in the country through election in 2009, law and order situation began to deteriorate with opposition men being attacked by the ruling party men that left several opposition men killed and many others injured.[6][7][8] Armed conflicts and violence erupted in the university campuses throughout the country.[9] Political activities of the opposition parties were often attacked.[10] From 2010, picking up of opposition leaders and activists by the state security forces began to surge in the country.

Notable cases

Chowdhury Alam

Probably the recorded case of enforced disappearance was that of Chowdhury Alam. On 25 June 2010, an opposition leader Chowdhury Alam was arrested by the state police and remained missing since then.[11] His abduction was later denied by the law enforcing agencies.[12]

Ilyas Ali

On 17 April 2012, Ilyas Ali, another prominent leader of the main opposition party BNP, went missing after last being seen in Dhaka at midnight with his driver.[13][14][15] His private car was found abandoned near his Dhaka home.[15] In the following days, five of his party men died and many were injured as they observed strikes and demonstration programs in protest of the disappearance.[14] The incident got much media coverage.

Aminul Islam

Aminul Islam, a Bangladeshi trade unionist, was a member of Bangladesh Garment & Industrial Workers Federation and an organizer for the Bangladesh Center of Worker Solidarity.[16] On 5 April 2012, Islam’s dead body was found near Dhaka after being disappeared earlier.[16][17] The body bore marks of torture.[16][17] His disappearance and murder sparked much international criticism.[17]

Others cases

Tanvir Hasan Zoha

When the news of Bangladesh Bank heist hit the local media in March 2016, Tanvir Ahmed Zoha, an IT specialist in an interview to Bangla Tribune said that transfer of $81M from Bangladesh Bank to the Philippines occurred because of involvement from someone inside Bangladesh Bank.[18] After his comment on Bangladesh Bank, he went missing the next day on March 16. He and his friend were abducted by unknown people who picked them up in a microbus when Zoha and his friend were returning home by CNG autorikshaw.[19][20] He was found after six days of disappearance.[21]

Mizanur Rahman Sohag

Mizanur Rahman Sohag, a friend of murdered Sohagi Jahan Tonu’s brother Anwar Hossain went missing on 28 March 2016. His family claimed that he was picked by unknown person who identified themselves as members of law enforcement agencies.[22] He was found after 16 days of disappearance by his paternal uncle near his home.[23]

Pre-election period of 2013

Throughout most of 2013, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its alliance observed nationwide general strikes and blockades in demand of a non-partisan interim government or a caretaker government to hold the next general election of 2014. The E.U., the U.S. and the Commonwealth announced that they would not send observers since they were concerned about the credibility of the election.[24][25][26] Before the controversial national election of 2014, allegedly 19 opposition men were picked up by security forces.[5] Other media and human rights organizations have cited the number to be from eight to ten.[27][28] As of 2015, they remained missing.[5]

Criticism

The incidents of enforced disappearances were condemned by both domestic and international human rights organizations. The main opposition party BNP has held the government responsible for conducting these forced disappearances,[29][30] and demanded an UN-sponsored investigation into such cases.[31] During her visit to Bangladesh in 2012, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concern over the disappearance of Ilyas Ali and Aminul Islam.[14] Despite the demands for the government initiatives to probe such disappearances, investigations into such cases were absent.[5][32][33]

See also

References

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