Human rights organisations and foreign observers have expressed alarm over enforced disappearances, especially in the context of Bangladesh and the Awami League rule. Enforced disappearances are a grave violation of human rights and have been reported in various countries across different political regimes. The Awami League, a major political party in Bangladesh, has faced allegations of involvement in enforced disappearances during its tenure. While it’s important to note that these allegations are subject to investigation and debate, there have been numerous reports and accounts alleging such occurrences.

Allegations of enforced disappearances against law enforcement and security forces have been made, but not always against People who are connected to political opposition groups or who are critical of the government are frequently the victims of enforced disappearances.

Enforced disappearances have been reported in Bangladesh for years now, with accusations often directed towards law enforcement agencies. Critics have accused the government of being involved or complicit in such disappearances, but the government has denied these allegations and often attributed them to other causes or groups.

One prominent case that has received international attention in recent years is the disappearance of journalist and political commentator Shafiqul Islam Kajol. On March 10, 2020, he vanished. He was gone for more than two months before being discovered by law enforcement. Upon his return, Kajol was charged under the Digital Security Act.
Shafiqul Islam Kajol is a political critic and journalist in Bangladesh. Shafiqul Islam Kajol vanished, and there were indications that her absence may have been forced. In Bangladesh, Kajol was well-known for his scathing reporting and analysis on a range of social and political topics.
Kajol vanished in a situation where forced disappearances have been documented in Bangladesh throughout the years, frequently involving people who are connected to opposition organisations or who are critical of the government. International attention and criticism have been evoked by such instances, which pose grave issues regarding human rights.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League has been under fire for how it has handled human rights concerns, with claims of extrajudicial executions and silence against dissident voices being made. Concerns about Bangladesh’s human rights and freedom of speech are considered in light of Shafiqul Islam Kajol’s disappearance.
Allegations of a lack of accountability and openness have frequently plagued investigations into cases of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh. In order to advance human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh, efforts by human rights organisations and the international community to address these problems and hold offenders accountable are still crucial.
Another prominent case is that of cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who were arrested in May 2020 under the controversial Digital Security Act, which has been criticised for stifling freedom of expression. Mushtaq Ahmed died in custody just a few months after his arrest, leading to widespread condemnation and calls for accountability.
These cases, along with numerous others, highlight the complex challenges surrounding human rights and freedom of expression in Bangladesh. While the Awami League government has denied involvement in enforced disappearances and maintains that it upholds the rule of law, critics argue that more needs to be done to address these issues and ensure accountability for human rights abuses.

In Bangladesh, there have been claims and accounts of enforced disappearances throughout the Awami League government. Political activists, journalists, opposition figures, and those who criticise the government are frequently the targets of these attacks. Some instances of incidents that have been reported in the past include:
The story of Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political organisation, is a prime example of the alarming problem of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh. He vanished in 2015. A prominent member of Jamaat-e-Islami, a group that had a tense relationship with the government, was Abdullahil Amaan Azmi.
Human rights activists, who believe the state was involved in his disappearance, as well as his family and allies, expressed deep alarm over his absence. There is still much that is unknown and unclear about the events leading up to Azmi’s disappearance, including what happened and potential suspects.
His family and allies have continuously claimed, citing patterns of political persecution and targeting of opposition members in Bangladesh, that the state was involved in his abduction. But the government has fiercely denied any role or accountability for Azmi’s disappearance, rejecting claims of foul play or state-sponsored kidnapping.
Abdullahil Amaan Azmi’s abduction highlights larger worries about political persecution, violations of human rights, and a lack of accountability in Bangladesh. Human rights and the rule of law are gravely violated by “enforced disappearances,” in which people are kidnapped, jailed, or killed by state authorities or their agents without being held accountable or subject to due process.
The whereabouts and fate of Abdullahil Amaan Azmi are still unknown, leaving his family and supporters to deal with uncertainty and agony in the face of demands for justice, accountability, and openness. The case emphasises how crucial it is to have impartial inquiries, judicial supervision, and international attention in order to resolve enforced disappearances and protect basic human rights in Bangladesh.

Another alarming insident, prominent opposition politician Ilias Ali, and his driver, who belonged to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), vanished inexplicably in April 2012. His disappearance caused much alarm both at home and abroad and sent shockwaves through Bangladesh’s political scene.
Ilias Ali was a prominent member of the BNP who was well-known for his outspoken criticism of the current administration and his active participation in opposition politics. Serious concerns concerning the safety and security of political opposition members in Bangladesh were aroused by his abrupt abduction.
The location and fate of Ilias Ali and his driver are still a mystery, despite strong objections and calls for a comprehensive investigation into his abduction. Deep-seated annoyance and irritation have resulted from the lack of reliable information and responsibility surrounding his case.

Ilias Ali’s disappearance remains unresolved, which emphasises the pressing need for open and unbiased investigations, increased accountability, and respect for human rights in Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s democratic aspirations are likely to be clouded by worries about political repression and impunity until significant measures are implemented to resolve enforced disappearances and protect the rule of law. s.
Another well-known Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, Moshiur Rahman Biplob, disappeared in 2012 under circumstances similar to previous disappearances in the nation’s political environment. His abrupt and mysterious abduction rocked Bangladesh, sparking public indignation and calls for the government to answer for its actions.
Moshiur Rahman Biplob was no stranger to the conflicts and difficulties that come with being a prominent member of the opposition and a loud critic of the ruling class in Bangladesh. His disappearance highlighted the dangers opposition figures face as well as the nation’s larger problems with political repression and violations of human rights.
Moshiur Rahman Biplob’s whereabouts are still unknown, much as in other incidents of enforced disappearances, forcing his family, supporters, and human rights activists to deal with uncertainty and agony. Justice has remained elusive despite strenuous efforts to raise awareness of his case and put pressure on authorities for a comprehensive inquiry.
In Bangladesh’s political scene, Moshiur Rahman Biplob’s abduction served as a sobering reminder of the necessity of openness, responsibility, and respect for human rights. It brought attention to the risks that people who speak out against the policies and practices of the government and dare to question the status quo face.
Following Biplob’s disappearance, calls for accountability reverberated both nationally and internationally. Foreign governments and human rights organisations pushed Bangladeshi authorities to take decisive action to protect the rule of law and address enforced disappearances. But even with these demands for action, there are still a lot of obstacles in the way of providing victims’ and their families’ families with justice. The unresolved incidents of disappearances, such as Moshiur Rahman Biplob’s, highlight the critical need for significant reforms to preserve political opposition, defend fundamental freedoms, and punish those who violate human rights. Bangladesh’s democratic ambitions will remain unfulfilled and the threat of political repression will persist unless real progress is made in resolving these challenges.
It’s crucial for governments and international organizations to investigate allegations of enforced disappearances thoroughly, hold perpetrators accountable, and work towards creating an environment where human rights are respected and protected for all individuals, regardless of their political affiliations or beliefs.

The rise in enforced disappearances is a troubling trend under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule, with reports of disappearances increasing dramatically since 2009. Despite mounting evidence and international condemnation, the government consistently denies allegations and dismisses concerns raised by human rights organizations and the UN. The government’s response, characterized by denial and deflection, underscores a culture of impunity and a disregard for fundamental human rights principles.

Human Rights Watch (HRW), a US-based organisation, stated in a study from 2021 that of the 600 people who vanished in Bangladesh, about 100 were unaccounted for.
However, the trend drastically changed on December 10, 2021, when the US Department of Treasury sanctioned six Bangladeshi officials and the country’s infamous security unit, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), for their roles in extrajudicial murders and enforced disappearances.
Only five cases of these disappearances purportedly by the RAB have been documented since then, according to Odhikar, the leading rights organisation in Bangladesh that monitors instances of political violence and other breaches.
The decrease in enforced disappearances after US sanctions, according to Josef Benedict, Asia Pacific researcher for international non-profit CIVICUS, indicates that “state actors” were responsible for the majority of occurrences.
Josef Benedict, an Asia Pacific researcher for the global nonprofit organisation CIVICUS, stated that the decrease in forced disappearances after the US sanctions indicates that “state actors” were responsible for the majority of forced disappearances over the previous ten years. “Human rights organisations and victims have been saying this for years, adding that the drop in cases further demonstrated how penalties are having an adverse effect on individuals in positions of authority.
Enforced disappearances are a grave violation of human rights, defined by the Rome Statute as the arrest, detention, or abduction of individuals by state actors followed by a refusal to acknowledge their whereabouts. The fact that some victims reappear or are later shown arrested does not negate the initial act of enforced disappearance. Despite this, the government persists in its denial and trivialization of the issue, further exacerbating the trauma experienced by victims and their families.
The lack of accountability extends beyond enforced disappearances to other forms of state violence, including extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. Security forces have been implicated in numerous human rights abuses, often targeting political opposition members and activists. The Digital Security Act, passed in 2018, grants authorities broad powers to arrest individuals for online expression deemed to threaten communal harmony or disturb law and order, further stifling dissent and free speech.
The politicisation of security forces and the prevalence of extrajudicial violence reflect a broader trend towards authoritarianism in Bangladesh. In the lead-up to elections, reports of human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, have spiked, with security forces often deployed to suppress dissent and maintain the ruling party’s grip on power.
The international community has a crucial role to play in addressing enforced disappearances and holding perpetrators accountable. Calls for independent investigations and targeted sanctions against top officials implicated in human rights abuses are necessary steps towards justice and accountability. Donor governments and the UN must reassess their relationships with Bangladesh security forces and prioritise human rights considerations in all engagements.
The export of surveillance equipment to Bangladesh should be halted until meaningful reforms are implemented to safeguard human rights. Governments should transparently monitor exports and ensure compliance with international human rights standards.
the persistent denial of enforced disappearances and other human rights abuses by the Bangladesh government underscores the urgent need for international intervention and accountability mechanisms. Without meaningful action, victims and their families will continue to suffer, and the culture of impunity will persist, undermining the rule of law and fundamental human rights principles.
The enforced disappearances in Bangladesh under the Awami League regime have raised serious human rights concerns, with numerous victims still missing and families left distraught by the lack of accountability and justice. The case of Armaan, son of Mir Quasem Ali, exemplifies the tragic reality faced by many families. Armaan, a vocal critic of the government’s handling of his father’s case, was abducted in 2016 and has not been seen since. Despite international scrutiny and appeals for investigation, the authorities deny his arrest, leaving his family vulnerable to intimidation and harassment. And like them, many more are suffering every day in a never-ending loop, which needs serious spotlight, and now is the time!