Published: 01:26 AM, 30 August 2026
PM urges global unity against enforced disappearances
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday hands over job appointment letters to members of the families of victims of enforced disappearances and killings, as well as families of martyrs of the July mass uprising. -Agency
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called for global unity to ensure justice and accountability for those involved in enforced disappearances.
In a message on Saturday, a day ahead of International Enforced Disappearance Day, he said Article 7(2) of the ICC's Rome Statute defines enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity, underscoring the need for exemplary trials, bdnews24 reports.
"This year's theme is 'Victims First, Actions Now'. I call for unity and solidarity worldwide to ensure justice and accountability for those involved in this inhumane crime," he said.
Tarique called enforced disappearance "one of the most horrific crimes globally, often carried out by state security forces against dissenting political leaders under authoritarian regimes". He said the ousted "fascist" government had used enforced disappearances and abductions to suppress democratic rights, running secret detention centres known as "Aynaghor" where victims were held for months or years.
Citing rights groups' estimates, he said at least 700 people had disappeared, and the current government has launched investigations into every case.
The BNP government, elected in February, has tabled the "Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Bill, 2026" and the "National Human Rights Commission Bill, 2026" in parliament to prevent future disappearances, he said.
Enforced disappearance, Tarique said, is not just a missing person but "the death of a family's dreams", leaving relatives without closure.
While some victims returned after the 2024 July Uprising, others, such as Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam, remain untraced.
