Dhaka, Aug 29 (V7N) – BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said enforced disappearance is not merely an act of making a person vanish but a brutal assault on human freedom, dignity, justice and right to live, calling for truth, justice and accountability on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
"30 August is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. On this day, I express profound sympathy and solidarity with all victims of enforced disappearance around the world, and with their families and loved ones," he said in a message marking the day.
"I remember with deep respect every individual who fell victim to enforced disappearance in Bangladesh during the years of state oppression and authoritarian rule," Rizvi said.
He said the unbearable anguish of waiting years after years for loved ones, the uncertainty about their fate, and being denied the right to know the truth, no family can endure this.
In Bangladesh's recent history, he said, enforced disappearance has been used as a horrific tool for political repression and silencing dissent. Numerous people including leaders and activists of opposition political parties, human rights defenders, and dissidents have fallen victim to it. Many families still do not know where their loved ones are, what condition they are in, or whether they will ever return. This prolonged waiting stands as a profound obligation before our national conscience, he added.
The message further said that BNP firmly believes that uncovering the truth behind every case of disappearance, conducting impartial and credible investigation and bringing those responsible under the law are essential for establishing justice.
At the same time, the rights of disappeared persons and their families to know the truth, obtain justice, receive compensation, and secure proper rehabilitation must be ensured, he said.
Rizvi said, "We aspire to build a Bangladesh where no state agency can ever again use disappearance as a weapon against citizens; where law enforcement and security forces operate under accountability; and where no citizen's life, liberty, or security is endangered because of political identity or differences of opinion."
"The truth about the fate and whereabouts of every person who is still missing must be revealed. Justice must be ensured for those who have returned and for those who will never return," he said, adding that the state must ensure that their families receive truth, recognition, and justice.
Enforced disappearance has been a longstanding issue in Bangladesh, with human rights organizations documenting hundreds of cases during the previous Awami League government. The current BNP-led government has committed to addressing past abuses and ensuring accountability. Rizvi also emphasized that the government must take full responsibility for uncovering the truth behind all enforced disappearances that occurred during the previous regime.
