In brief
An inquiry has found that Bangladesh's former leader, Sheikh Hasina, and her officials orchestrated a systematic program that led to the enforced disappearance of thousands during her 15-year rule. Victims, mainly political opponents, were detained in secret prisons under dire conditions.
Bangladesh is grappling with the shocking fallout of a recent inquiry revealing that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close associates orchestrated a chilling program of enforced disappearances. This scheme, described as systemic, has reportedly affected thousands of political dissidents. Following Hasina's ousting earlier this summer amid anti-government protests, a commission led by retired judge Mainul Islam Chowdhury unearthed evidence of at least 1,600 reported cases of enforced disappearances, estimating the actual number could be up to three times higher. The report highlights that this operation, which spanned 15 years, had a "central command structure," indicating her direct involvement. Many victims had been trapped in covert detention centers where torture was commonplace. Families of the disappeared are now demanding justice as new accounts emerge, shedding light on this drastic violation of human rights.
