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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has accused the previous government of using enforced disappearances and abductions to suppress political opposition and undermine democratic rights.
He said secret detention facilities, popularly known as “Aynaghor”, were used to hold victims for months or even years.
According to the prime minister, more than 700 people were subjected to enforced disappearance during the previous administration.
He said the government was working on a separate legal framework to prevent such incidents in the future. The Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Remedy Bill, 2026, and the National Human Rights Commission Bill, 2026, have already been placed before parliament, he added.
Tarique described enforced disappearance as more than the loss of an individual, saying it leaves families in prolonged uncertainty and denies them the opportunity to properly grieve or move on.
Referring to the 2024 mass uprising, he said some victims of enforced disappearance returned after the previous government fell, while many others, including BNP leaders Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam, remain missing.
He also noted that Article 7(2) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court recognises enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity.
The prime minister called for international solidarity and accountability for individuals and institutions responsible for enforced disappearances.
He said this year’s International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is being observed under the theme, “Victims First, Actions Now.”
