New law to deter enforced disappearances
Diplomatic correspondent :
Dr Asif Nazrul, Adviser on Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, announced that legislative measures are underway to criminalise enforced disappearances and establish a dedicated commission. Speaking to journalists following his meeting with the WGEID delegation, Dr Nazrul confirmed that the proposed law is in its final stages and could be passed within a month.
“The UN delegation has welcomed our legislative initiative and pledged their full support,” Dr Nazrul said. “Once enacted, the law will make enforced disappearances significantly harder to carry out and hold perpetrators accountable.”
He also hinted at further progress ahead of the anniversary of the July 2024 mass uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government.
In response to concerns about the future of the proposed law, Dr Nazrul noted that leaders from across the political spectrum – including from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP), and various Islamic groups – have themselves been victims or vocal critics of enforced disappearances. He expressed optimism that the legislation would receive broad support.
The government is also exploring the possibility of issuing official “missing certificates” for victims, similar to death certificates, to enable affected families to pursue legal and administrative processes.
However, representatives of the United Nations have commended Bangladesh for its recent initiatives to address the issue of enforced disappearances, as the interim government reaffirmed its pledge to introduce a dedicated law and establish a commission of inquiry.
Gra?yna Baranowska, Vice-Chairperson of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), and fellow member Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez are currently visiting Dhaka from 15-19 June on a fact-finding mission. During their stay, they are meeting with various stakeholders of the interim administration led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to discuss incidents of enforced disappearances that occurred under the previous Awami League government.
On Monday, the WGEID delegation met Acting Foreign Secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, the delegation welcomed Bangladesh’s accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) and the recent establishment of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the matter.
The UN officials highlighted the significance of the commission in promoting accountability and justice, and expressed the Working Group’s readiness to support Bangladesh through technical cooperation and guidance.
Acting Foreign Secretary Siddique reiterated the interim government’s commitment to upholding human rights and ensuring justice for victims and their families. He thanked the delegation for their engagement and expressed interest in continuing close collaboration with UN human rights mechanisms.
The visit is viewed as an important step in strengthening Bangladesh’s cooperation with international human rights bodies.
The WGEID had requested permission to visit Bangladesh as early as 2013, but the previous Awami League-led government never granted access. In contrast, the interim government responded promptly and signed the ICPPED just a day before the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances last year.
With this move, Bangladesh became the 76th country to sign the convention, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2006. Among South Asian nations, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have ratified the treaty, India has signed but not ratified it, while Pakistan has yet to sign.
Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Bangladesh had faced sustained international pressure to join the convention in recent years, which was consistently resisted by the previous administration.