In a significant development for human rights in Bangladesh, authorities have filed charges against 28 individuals involved in cases of enforced disappearances, secret detentions, and torture.
This move marks a long-awaited step toward justice for victims who have suffered under the previous administration, according to a press release.
The charges were announced on 9 October, following years of denial and evasion of responsibility by the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
For years, the administration, including key figures such as former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, dismissed claims of secret detentions and enforced disappearances as part of a “smear campaign.”
In 2017, Asaduzzaman Khan went so far as to claim that most of the “disappeared” individuals were criminals, debt dodgers, or adulterers. Despite promises to investigate, no such inquiries were ever conducted.
The Hasina administration, which ruled from 2009 to 2024, increasingly became known for its authoritarian practices, with reports of extrajudicial killings, torture, and suppression of speech becoming more frequent. These abuses were met with denials or empty promises, including a dismissal of Human Rights Watch’s findings on secret detentions.
The repression came to a head in August 2024, when widespread protests led to the toppling of the Hasina government, which was accused of violence and corruption.
More than 1,400 lives were lost during the three weeks of unrest, and Hasina, Khan, and several senior officials fled the country. An interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, took office with promises of reform.
Under Yunus’ leadership, a Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances was formed, which has since received over 1,850 complaints and identified more than 300 victims presumed dead in custody. The Commission’s findings, as documented in the recent film “Unfolding the Truth,” include accounts of appalling cruelty and human rights violations.
On 9 October, the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal formally filed charges against those responsible, including Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan, and several current and former army officers. Among the individuals present in court were the families of the disappeared, some of whom had their cases documented by human rights workers.
One such individual is Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, or “Armaan,” who was detained for eight years in a secret military intelligence facility after expressing concerns for his safety in 2016. After the Hasina government was ousted, he was released, and has since written a book about his experiences.
His wife, who had frequently reached out for news during his detention, was among those waiting for justice.
As human rights advocates, many are left to wonder if justice will be served. The accused will face prosecution by the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal, but there are ongoing concerns about ensuring a fair trial and the potential use of the death penalty.
