Commission probes 330 cases of enforced disappearance

At a media briefing at the Commission’s Gulshan office, he stated that the probe into these cases is ongoing, with investigators reviewing documents, evidence, and testimonies.  

Since its inception, the commission has received 1,752 complaints of enforced disappearances, of which 1,000 have undergone initial scrutiny. So far, 280 complainants have given statements in person, while 45 law enforcement and intelligence officers have provided their depositions.  

Chowdhury also revealed that law enforcement agencies reported 140 individuals being pushed into Bangladesh from India after August 5, 2024. In response, the Commission has sought detailed reports from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and district police authorities.  

Among those missing, at least one individual, Mohammad Rahmat Ullah from Dhamrai, was confirmed to have been pushed back through the Gomastapur border in Chapainawabganj, according to available information.  

The Foreign Ministry has also shared a list of 1,067 Bangladeshis detained in Indian prisons over the past two and a half years. The Commission is now cross-referencing these names with its list of missing persons.  

In a separate move, the Commission has inspected several alleged secret detention centers operated by DGIE, CTTC, and RAB in Dhaka, Bogura, Narayanganj, Rajshahi, and Chattogram. Authorities have been instructed to preserve these sites for further examination.  

The five-member inquiry commission was formed on August 27, 2024, with a mandate to identify and locate individuals forcibly disappeared between January 1, 2010, and August 5, 2024.  

The media briefing was attended by retired Justice Farid Ahmed Shibli, human rights activist Noor Khan, BRAC University academic Nabila Idris, and rights activist Sazzad Hossain.