Family members and relatives of victims of enforced disappearances on Friday sought to know whereabouts of their loved ones who the families believed to have been subject to enforced disappearance, demanding immediate return of the victims.
They made the demands at a human chain organised by Mayer Daak, a platform for victims of enforced disappearances, in front of the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
The event was held to mark International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances celebrated on August 30 in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world.
The signing of United Nations鈥� Instrument of Accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance on聽 Thursday, just a day before stirred hope among the families of the victims who now believe they will get justice.
This is the first time that family members of the enforced disappearance victims could gather in an open space to demand the return of their loved ones, said Sanjida Islam Tulee, the coordinator of Mayer Daak.
鈥楽heikh Hasina resigned and fled to India amid mass uprising on August 5 but the remaining evil forces are still in the country. Thus the families are yet to receive any information about the whereabouts of their loved ones,鈥� Tulee said.
At the event, lawyer Sara Hossain said, 鈥榃e have to know every detail on why these incidents happened and who was responsible for these crimes.鈥�
Stressing the involvement of the Rapid Action Battalion in most disappearances, journalist Saydia Gulrukh demanded that all anti-people law enforcement agencies must be eliminated.
Michael Chakma, who was released from his secret detention on August 7 after five years, demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits.
Responding to the signing of the convention, Smriti Singh, the regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International, in a press release, said that it was a first step on the long road to the truth, justice, and reparations for victims and their families in Bangladesh.
The interim government must proactively work towards the full implementation of the convention, she said.
鈥楾he inquiry commission set up earlier this week, must be adequately resourced and equipped to carry out thorough, transparent and effective investigations into all cases of enforced disappearances in the country,鈥� Smriti said.
She also said that it should work in an inclusive, transparent manner while engaging with civil society and victim groups.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, in a statement demanded the return of all victims of enforced disappearances including the six Shibir activists.
Earlier on Thursday, the interim government adviser and also spokesperson Syeda Rizwana Hasan told a press conference that at least 700 victims of enforced disappearance still remained missing.
On August 29, the government announced a 5-member inquiry commission that would investigate reports of enforced disappearances between January 2010 and August 2024.
At least three people were released from their secret detention following deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 resignation amid the student-led mass uprising on August 5.
