‘Intel agencies ‘poke noses’ into politics’
Staff Reporter :
The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has made major recommendations including dissolution of RAB, aimed at ending forced disappearances and human rights violations in the country.
Among the key reforms proposed are the dissolution of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the withdrawal of the armed forces from internal law enforcement duties, and the repeal or significant amendment of the 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act.
The Commission also calls for the establishment of a community-based preventive anti-terrorism policy, the abolition of Section 13 of the Armed Police Battalion Act 2003, and stricter legal accountability for all security forces involved in such violations.
The findings and recommendations were presented during a press conference on Monday at the Commission’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka, by its chairman, retired Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury.
Among other recommendations include human rights training for all law enforcement officers, victim-centric justice, compensation and rehabilitation for the families of victims, and the transformation of secret detention sites, known as “Aynaghar,” into museums as symbols of truth and accountability.
The Commission believes these measures will help prevent future occurrences and bring justice to the victims of enforced disappearances.
Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury said that the Commission was tasked with identifying the victims, determining the circumstances of their disappearances, and holding the responsible parties accountable.
During its investigation, the Commission discovered secret detention sites in several districts and immediately ordered their inspection, he said.
The Commission ensured that these sites were preserved and halted the destruction of evidence at two sites, the DGFI’s “Aynaghar” and the RAB headquarters’ TFIC.
In the course of its inquiry, the Commission reviewed 1,913 complaints, of which 231 were duplicates and 113 were dismissed after initial investigations found them to be outside the scope of enforced disappearances.
A total of 1,569 complaints remained under active investigation, including 251 missing individuals whose whereabouts have not yet been determined, and 36 cases in which bodies were recovered post-abduction.
The Commission questioned 222 individuals, including current and former officials, suspected persons, law enforcement members, and civilian witnesses. Additionally, interviews were conducted with 765 victims and their families.
The Commission also found a specific case involving the forced repatriation of Mohammad Rahmat Ullah, a victim of enforced disappearance, who was brought back to Bangladesh from India on December 22, 2024, through the Gomostapur border in Chapainawabganj.
While the Commission gathered information about individuals pushed back to Bangladesh from India after August 5, 2024, no names related to forced disappearances were found.
The investigation also revealed that around 25% of the enforced disappearances involved RAB, followed by 23% by the police. Other agencies such as DIB, CTTC, DGFI, and NSI were also implicated in numerous cases.
The Commission noted that many abductions were carried out by individuals posing as “administration personnel” or dressed in civilian clothes.
This pattern indicates that enforced disappearances were not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated, institutional practice involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
The Commission has forwarded cases involving missing persons to the Inspector General of Police for further investigation in four stages, as required by Section 10A of the Commission of Inquiry Act.
Letters have also been sent to law enforcement agencies to investigate disappearances that lasted between two and five days, with progress to be reported to the National Human Rights Commission within six months.
As part of its efforts to locate missing individuals, the Commission visited potential crime scenes, pick-up locations, Aynaghar sites, and dumping grounds across the country.
The Commission has also been actively engaging with local and international human rights organisations, diplomatic missions, and the public, organising workshops for over 300 judges and magistrates and publishing a documentary on enforced disappearances.
Both local and international bodies have expressed concern over the scale of the problem and commended the Commission’s efforts in ensuring accountability, the Commission said.