NN Online:
The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances submitted its second interim report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday.
Led by Chairperson Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, the commission presented the report during a meeting held at the State Guest House Jamuna at around 11 a.m., according to a statement from the Chief Adviser’s press wing.
Commission members—human rights activists Nur Khan Liton and Sazzad Hossain, along with BRAC University faculty member Nabila Idris—were in attendance. Also present were Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, and Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser M. Siraj Uddin Miah.
During the event, Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus emphasized the importance of public awareness, recommending that the report be published both as a book and online. “This is not just a national concern—it is of international significance,” he said.
Describing the findings, he remarked, “Every incident is deeply disturbing. The perpetrators include people we know—our relatives, friends, so-called gentlemen of society. A horror museum could be built from the details in this report. These are truly terrifying stories.”
Referring to the cruel treatment of victims held in secret detention cells, Prof. Yunus said some were confined in spaces as small as three feet by three feet for months. “This reality must be revealed to the public,” he stated.
He instructed the commission to outline immediate steps the government could take to begin addressing the issue promptly.
A commission member revealed that the gravity of the cases had led some perpetrators to seek redemption. Two officers even submitted letters expressing remorse, which were later discovered at Ganabhaban. The member noted that the then army chief had publicly acknowledged the existence of these letters.
The commission reported receiving 1,850 complaints so far, with 1,350 of them already reviewed. They estimate the total number of complaints could exceed 3,500, with over 300 individuals still missing.
Justice Chowdhury requested that the government take steps to enable the families of the missing to conduct banking transactions. Under current law, a person must be missing for seven years to be presumed dead; he recommended reducing this period to five years.
Prof. Yunus advised the commission to propose specific legal and procedural reforms so action could be initiated without delay.
He concluded by praising the commission’s efforts. “You are working despite fear and threats,” he said. “Your courage is a source of inspiration—not just for today, but for future generations fighting for human rights.”
