It’s a historic occasion. People breathe a sigh of relief as the interim government of Bangladesh on Thursday finally signed the instrument of accession to an international convention of the United Nations aiming at preventing enforced disappearances.
The development comes a day ahead of the UN-declared International Day for Victims of Enforced Disappearances, observed on August 30, for the convention adopted by the UN on December 20, 2006.
Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who took over this month as head of the interim government after the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country to India amid a mass uprising, signed the accession to the International Convention.
It is to be noted that two days ago Bangladesh formed a five-member commission, headed by a retired High Court judge to trace and identify “each and every” case of enforced disappearance by security forces during Sheikh Hasina’s iron-fisted nearly 16-year rule.
The forces include the notorious Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), accused of numerous rights abuses, and which was sanctioned by the United States for its role in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch last year accused that security forces had committed over 600 enforced disappearances since Hasina came to power in 2009, and nearly 100 remain unaccounted for.
Mostly they were leaders and activists of the country’s main opposition – Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the largest Islamist party – Jamaat-e-Islami. However, the ousted Hasina government denied the allegations.
We welcome the signing of the UN-declared convention, underscoring the interim government’s dedication to tackling this grave issue. It’s a historic moment for the country.
With signing of this convention, we hope it will prevent enforced disappearances and ensure justice for the victims.
