A writ petition has been filed with the High Court by the father of a 30-year-old fisherman, Miraj Sheikh, alleging that his son was “disappeared” from the Sundarbans area.
The petition, filed on Thursday by the missing man’s father, Md Mostafa Sheikh, seeks a court directive for the government and the Bangladesh Coast Guard to produce the individual before the court.
Several high-ranking officials have been named as respondents, including secretary of the Public Security Division under Ministry of Home Affairs, the director general of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, and the inspector general of police (IGP).
According to the petition, law enforcement members allegedly picked up the youth, and the family has since received no information regarding his whereabouts.
After unsuccessfully contacting various departments to find his son, the father moved the High Court to seek a legal explanation for the detention and his son’s physical presence.
Sources within the court confirmed the writ was filed under the High Court’s Special Original Jurisdiction, and a primary hearing is expected to follow.
Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton has called on law enforcement to identify those involved rather than denying the allegations. He remarked that following the political changes of 5 August, it was hoped that such “disappearances” would not recur, describing the new allegation as “extremely worrying.”
“The High Court has given a direction, and a neutral investigation must be conducted without delay to reveal the individual’s location,” he said, adding that the investigation should target specific members if allegations exist, rather than an entire force.
He urged the authorities to take the complaint seriously and not dismiss it in the manner of previous autocratic governments.
In a statement, the Bangladesh Coast Guard said they had learned of the matter through the media but were yet to receive an official copy of the writ or a notice from the Honourable Court.
The force stated that upon receiving official notification, they would follow the due legal process, provide the necessary response and information to the court, and fully comply with the court’s directives.
The Coast Guard added that it would be inappropriate to comment on the merits of the case until official documents are received.
