Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday vowed that if voted to power, his party will permanently end state-backed enforced disappearances in Bangladesh and ensure justice for victims.
In a statement issued on the “International Day of the Disappeared,” he said BNP will pass laws in line with UN conventions to root out the “evil.”
“Enforced disappearance is a global malaise and a clear act of human rights violation, mostly in authoritarian and conflict-ridden states,” Tarique said. “The crime was rife during the rule of Sheikh Hasina, sparking grave concerns among the countrymen including me.”
He cited rights groups’ estimates that over 700 people have been forcibly disappeared in Bangladesh since January 2009. Tarique also welcomed the government’s recent approval in principle of the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance 2025, saying it could pave the way for permanently resolving the crisis.
Tarique is widely regarded as the prime minister-in-waiting through the next general election.