Victims of disappearance, families meet Home Minister 

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said the caretaker government system must be restored, describing it as having no alternative. However, the process of forming the government, its powers and responsibilities, and its tenure have yet to be finalised.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment at the Cabinet Room of Parliament, he said the committee was examining different proposals to determine the system’s structure and avoid future controversy.

The meeting also heard accounts from victims of enforced disappearance and their families. A total of 48 representatives were invited, with the list prepared in consultation with the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, Mayer Daak and other organisations.

Those who returned after enforced disappearance and relatives of people still missing described their experiences, including torture, lack of legal protection and denial of justice. They called for steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

MPs Sanjida Islam, Humam Quader Chowdhury, Anisur Rahman and Mst Tahsina Rushdi also shared their experiences. Many participants became emotional during the discussion. Salahuddin said he himself had been a victim of enforced disappearance.

The participants demanded that all missing persons be located, cases be tried fairly and quickly, and affected families receive state recognition, rehabilitation and compensation.

Families also raised concerns about managing the assets of people who have remained missing for a long time. 

Salahuddin said the existing law on preventing and addressing enforced disappearance allows such assets to be managed with court permission.

He said compensation could be provided by seizing and selling the assets of those responsible, following a court order. If compensation could not be arranged through this process, the state could provide it.

Salahuddin said Article 32 of the Constitution already protects the right to life and personal liberty. 

Therefore, he said, a separate constitutional provision specifically addressing enforced disappearance was not necessary, although further laws could be introduced.

He also said an agency accused of involvement in an enforced disappearance should not investigate the allegation itself. Another agency should conduct the investigation. The law also distinguishes criminal offences from departmental disciplinary violations.

The home minister claimed that there had been no enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings in the name of crossfire, or deaths in custody during the current government’s eight months in office. He said one allegation had been investigated and international human rights organisations had been invited to conduct independent investigations.