Several individuals in plain clothes allegedly picked up a young man from the Dhanmondi area and sewed his lips without anesthesia. Another individual was detained and subjected to electric shocks on his genitals and ears. One victim, who tried to escape by jumping into a river, was reportedly shot dead on the spot after being retrieved. These horrifying descriptions of torture and enforced disappearances have surfaced in an interim report by the Commission on Disappearances.
On Saturday, the Commission submitted its interim report to Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The media was provided with the publishable portions of the report through the Chief Advisor’s Press Wing. The report reveals the harrowing state of disappearances and torture in Bangladesh, alleging that enforced disappearances are not just an internal issue but part of an international conspiracy, particularly involving Indian agents.
The investigation highlights numerous accounts of disappearances and torture from officials and survivors. According to the Commission’s data, 1,676 enforced disappearances were recorded between 2009 and 2024, of which 758 cases have been reviewed so far.
The analysis of complaints reveals that 2016 saw the highest number of disappearances (130 cases), while 2024 has recorded 21 cases so far. The Commission defines these incidents as enforced disappearances based on four criteria:
- Deprivation of the victim’s freedom,
- Involvement of state forces or authorities,
- Keeping the victim’s whereabouts hidden from their families or society, and
- Failure to provide legal protection to the victims.
The report categorizes enforced disappearances into five stages: abduction, detention, torture, killing, or release. It alleges that the incidents were carried out in a systematic and well-organized manner.
Methods of Disappearance
The Commission states that two methods were commonly used for enforced disappearances. In the first method, individuals were detained and tortured to extract information about others, who would then be detained and tortured as well. In the second method, influential political leaders or figures directly ordered disappearances and torture. The report cites the Narayanganj Seven-Murder Case and the confessions of then-RAB official Tarek Sayeed Mohammad as examples.
The Commission found that mobile technology was used to locate targets, with surveillance conducted under the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) through the National Monitoring Center (NMC) and later the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC).
Typically, abductions occurred at night, with victims forcibly taken from their homes or roadsides and transported in large vehicles like vans. Victims were blindfolded and handcuffed immediately after being taken. The abductions happened so quickly that bystanders could not understand what had occurred.
Secret Detention and Torture
The Commission reported that victims were detained in secret, dark rooms where they were subjected to physical and psychological torture. The duration of detention ranged from 48 hours to several weeks or even months. Interviews with survivors helped the Commission identify eight secret detention centers across Bangladesh, reportedly operated by DGFI, RAB, and the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit.
The Commission has visited several key offices in Dhaka and Chattogram, including RAB units and DB headquarters, noting structural similarities between detention centers. This suggests a centrally planned and monitored operation. Some detention centers have been destroyed, but others remain intact.
The report details horrific torture methods, including beatings and electric shocks. RAB and DGFI facilities reportedly had advanced equipment for torture, including soundproof rooms and specialized devices for physical and psychological torment.
Two chilling examples of torture were highlighted in the report:
- In 2010, RAB allegedly abducted a young man from Dhanmondi and sewed his lips without anesthesia.
- Another victim was tortured by electric shocks to his ears and genitals.
Victims were often killed, detained, or later released without charges. Many were shot in the head, and their bodies were disposed of in rivers like the Buriganga and Shitalakkhya by tying cement bags to ensure the bodies would sink. The Kanchan Bridge and Postogola Bridge were identified as disposal sites.
One witness claimed that RAB officers showed him a live execution of two victims. Another military officer reported that a victim who tried to escape by jumping into a river was shot dead on the spot.
India’s Involvement
The Commission’s investigation reveals that most enforced disappearances involved RAB, the Detective Branch (DB) of police, and the CTTC. National intelligence agencies like NSI and DGFI were also implicated. While low-ranking officers claimed they were unaware of their victims’ identities or the purpose of their detentions, senior officials admitted that operations were carried out under their direct supervision.
The Commission states that enforced disappearances in Bangladesh are part of an international conspiracy, specifically implicating Indian involvement. The cases of Sukhraj Boli and BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, who were reportedly transferred to India after their disappearances, were cited as evidence.
Additionally, Hammam Quader Chowdhury, son of BNP’s late leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, reported hearing people speaking in Hindi while detained. He claimed that, upon his release, he was warned to leave politics and the country.
Salahuddin Ahmed’s testimony from his disappearance in 2015 describes being held in an isolated location with blankets labeled TFI (Task Force of Interrogation), operated under RAB’s intelligence branch.
The Commission alleges that Bangladesh’s enforced disappearances are part of an international and organized conspiracy involving Bangladesh and India’s security forces.
The Chief Advisor’s Press Wing announced that the Commission has recommended the disbanding of RAB for human rights violations. The report also implicates former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as one of the key figures behind these disappearances during the Awami League’s tenure.
Commission head Moinul Islam Chowdhury stated that a second interim report will be released in March of next year, with a final report expected within a year.
Source: BBC Bangla
