When Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down and left the country on Monday, Nasrin Jahan Smrity, a 41-year-old woman, felt hopeful. She believed that she might find her missing husband, Ismail Hossain Baten, alive. Baten, a businessman in Dhaka, was reportedly abducted by members of the paramilitary force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in 2019. Since then, Smrity has been desperately searching for him.
Despite her efforts, the RAB, police, and other security agencies have denied holding Baten or providing any information about his whereabouts. On Tuesday, Smrity joined other families at the Dhaka headquarters of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), calling for a fresh search for the victims of enforced disappearances during Hasina’s rule.
Smrity expressed her belief that her husband might be alive in one of the secret detention centers and could be released soon. She mentioned that some missing persons were released just a day before, giving her hope for Baten’s return.
During Hasina’s 15-year rule, allegations of corruption, human rights violations, and electoral fraud were raised against her. Human rights groups reported that around 3000 people were killed extrajudicially, with more than 700 victims of enforced disappearances. Despite evidence of these violations, the ruling Awami League ignored calls to address the culture of impunity.
In December 2021, the United States imposed human rights-related sanctions on the RAB and some of its officers for their involvement in enforced disappearances and killings. The Hasina-led government denied these allegations, claiming that there were no cases of enforced disappearances or extrajudicial killings in the country.
In recent events that led to Hasina’s resignation, several individuals who were abducted, including a brigadier general and a political activist, have been released. However, many others, like BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, remain missing after alleged abductions by the RAB.
Families of the victims of enforced disappearances gathered at the DGFI headquarters, urging authorities to release their loved ones. Sanjida Islam, co-founder of Mayer Dak, a platform supporting these families, emphasized the need for the release of the victims held in captivity by security personnel.
With the change in government, there is hope for justice and accountability for the victims of enforced disappearances. Human rights activists and organizations are calling for the establishment of an independent justice mechanism to investigate these cases and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Moving forward, ensuring the safety of all Bangladeshis, releasing political prisoners, and repealing legislation used to suppress dissent are crucial steps for the new interim government to uphold democracy and human rights in the country.