Acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday said the culture of enforced disappearance must be stopped to uphold the human rights.
“According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the enforced disappearance of a person is a crime against human rights. The culture of disappearance must be stopped to uphold human rights,” he said.
The acting BNP chairman came up with the remarks in a written statement, marking the International Week of the Disappeared.
“I call on the state to play a strong role so that no one else falls victim to enforced disappearances. And all concerned must be vocal so that inhumane incidents like state-sponsored enforced disappearances do not occur,” he added.
Tarique Rahman said leaders and supporters of opposition political parties constitute the largest group of enforced disappearance victims in Bangladesh, though businessmen, intellectuals and ordinary citizens have also been targeted.
He said from 2009 to March 2024, around 666 people were subjected to enforced disappearances by law enforcement agencies. “Our estimate is that the number of disappearances is several times higher than the mentioned.”
The BNP leader further said most of the victims of the enforced disappearances are still missing, some bodies have been recovered, and a few were arrested after prolonged periods. “This is an example of the barbaric misrule of the previous Awami League regime.”
