Panic spreads over disappearances, abductions

Shakhawat Hossain

Mothers of some people were allegedly picked up by the Bangladesh law enforcement agencies in 2013 and never returned hold a press conference in Dhaka' Reporters Unity conference hall on December 4 last year to tell the stories of their miseries Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

Incidence of missing and abduction has reportedly increased in the capital and other parts of the country in recent times, spreading panic among people. Despite strong criticism from rights groups who have been demanding the government to initiate judicial commission to find perpetrators behind the crimes, incidents of enforced disappearance still continued with a gusto across the country.

There is a strong allegation against the law enforcement members to be engaged in such crimes, as some officials were found involved, various media reports and victims of the family members alleged. In recent times, army officers have arrested some Detective Branch (DB) officials when they were taking bribes from a business man in Chittagong.

Victims remain untraceable

Highest number of enforced disappearances was reported in the past two years while maximum number of victims still remained traceless in 2017. Politicians, students and business people were the worst victims of disappearance with whereabouts of 152 still unknown since the Awami League government assumed power in 2009 with election pledge promise stating ‘Rule of law will be established. Human rights will be strictly enforced.’

According to the rights organisation Odhikar, 402 people disappeared between January 2009 and October 2017 and the incidents were clearly of the category of ‘enforced disappearance’ as defined by the international human rights laws, particularly the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

In recent times, at least 10 people, including a journalist, a university teacher, a publisher and political leader, have gone missing or fallen victim to abduction since August 22, 2017. North South University teacher Mobashwer Hossain, Bangladesh Kalyan Party leader M Aminur Rahman and journalist Utpal Das are among those who remained missing. Utpal Das, a senior reporter of news portal Purboposhcim News, has remained traceless since October 10. Almost 30 days have elapsed but the law enforcers are yet to locate him. Mithun Chowdhury, president of newly-formed Bangladesh Janata Party, and his associate Ashit Ghosh were picked up allegedly by law enforcers in the city’s Sutrapur area on October 27. Those who went missing in recent times include Mcgill University student Ishrak Ahmed Fahim. The latest victim of the fresh incidents of disappearance is Tanvir Yasin Karim, owner of Karim International and Darus Salam Publications. He was picked up by plainclothes men on November 8, 2017.

According to rights body Ain o Salish Kendra, 334 of the 524 people, who allegedly became victims of enforced disappearance between 2010 and October 2017 across the country, are still missing. Many of those who returned to their families never disclosed anything to the media about their abductors.

Govt. urged to intervene

Another rights group Odhikar reported that over 400 people became victims of enforced disappearance since Awami League assumed in power in 2009 and, said highest number of such incident took place in 2016.

According to Odhikar, at least 67 persons were allegedly disappeared from January to September. Among them, seven were found dead and 29 were later produced before various courts or surfaced alive. The whereabouts of 31 persons are still unknown.

In October, seven persons allegedly disappeared. Among them, two were later produced before the court and surfaced alive. The whereabouts of five others are still unknown.

On November 7, Abu Muhammad Jamal Rahman, a pharmacist of Sanofi Aventis, was also disappeared and his family filed a missing complaint with the Khilgaon police station. On November 8, a publisher, Tanvir Hasan Karim, was taken in from his house by the plainclothes and a missing complaint was filed with the Gulshan police station.

Against such a backdrop, various social and rights groups in separate statements called on the government to find out the persons went missing or disappeared, and also to find the persons behind such activities, expressing their grave concern over the recent increased incidents of enforced disappearances.

Eminent rights activist Ms. Sultana Kamal said, “Whenever any citizen goes missing this way, it has to be understood that there is no security at all. People are going missing and the issue is not being resolved. Such a crime is an extreme violation of human rights.”

Sultana said allegations have surfaced those members of security forces were involved in the mysterious disappearance of many people.  “In many cases, it is seen that many are shown arrested after their families come up with statements [about the incidents],” she added.

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said free movement is one of the constitutional rights of the citizens and it is the duty of the state to ensure that. “It is responsibility of the state to find the victims of abduction and enforced disappearance and return them to their families,” he said, demanding exemplary punishment to those responsible for such incidents.

Besides, teachers, students and alumni of Dhaka University on Sunday sought the prime minister’s intervention in tracing North South University teacher Mubashar Hasan who went missing on Nov 7 evening.  They formed a human chain on Aparajeyo Bangla premises and said if Mubashar was guilty of any crime he could be brought to book and tried. His disappearance only proves the state’s failure to protect its citizen, they observed.

- The piece was first published on weeklyholiday.net