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Families of disappeared still waiting !
Human Rights Violation
After spending a period of time in secret detention - usually weeks or months - there are four possible outcomes:
- the person is killed. In 2016, out of over 90 disappeared, 21 were killed; In 2017, out of about 80 disappeared, 7 so far have been killed
- the person is simply released on the streets. This happens, but it unusual
- the person is taken to the court and 'formally arrested' with the police concocting a story that they were arrested the previous day. They are then, "legally", sent to jail. This is what happens to most people.
- the person remains disappeared. In 2016, out of over 90 disappeared, 8 remain missing; In 2017, out of about 80 disappeared, 28 remain missing
The people picked up and secretly detained fall into a number of categories of people. There are:
- those that are linked to opposition politics, sometimes at a senior level;
- those the authorities suspect, rightly or wrongly, are involved in militancy in some way;
- those who for one political reason or the other, it is useful for the state to secretly detain;
- those involved in conflict within the Awami League;
- those involved in other kinds of private conflicts where one of the parties to the conflict has the power to obtain the use of a law enforcement agency to do his bidding;
The pick ups are primarily undertaken by the Detective Branch of the Police, the Counter Terrorism Unit (which has emerged out of the DB), or by the para-military organisation, the Rapid Action Battalion - though RAB's involvement seems to be declining in recent years. The ordinary police are also involved, as are sometimes the country's intelligence agencies in particular the country's military intelligence agency, DGFI.
The government has, it seems, informally given law enforcement authorities a general green light to carry out secret detentions in certain circumstances. There are however a few undertaken at a low level which are outside of any authorisation, and many others (particularly those involving more high profile subjects) done with specific high level governmental authorisation.
Picked up in last two years, continued to be disappeared
Below are the details of 36 people allegedly picked up by Bangladesh law enforcement authorities since 2016 who remain disappeared - that is to say they have not yet been released, "formally arrested", or their dead body has not been found.
In effect, what this means is that Bangladesh state authorities are either secretly detaining or have killed them.
The information below is based on media news reports, and information from human rights organisations and in some cases direct interviews with families. It is very likely that are more people who are disappeared - but whose cases have not been reported.
Please note that it is not uncommon for men, who have been picked up to subsequently be shown arrested after some time, so this is an ever-changing situation. If you have any further information on these or other enforced disappearances in Bangladesh, please e-mail Bangladesh Politico
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Maroof Zaman
Picked up on 4 December 2017
Maroof Zaman, a former Bangladeshi ambassador to Qatar and Vietnam, went missing on 4 December 2017 when he drove to Dhaka airport to pick up his daughter. Subsequently, masked men entered the family house and took away his computer.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/disappearances-plague-bangladesh-171208160532558.html
Masum
Masum, a madrasa student, was picked up in Jhenhaidah on November 15, 2017 by men who identified themselves as police officers.
Jahangir Hossain
Jahangir Hossain the general secretary of Dynna union unit of the youth wing of the Awami League was picked up outside the court premises in Tangail on November 5, 2017 by men introducing themselves as from the detective branch.
Abdus Salam Tarafder was picked up from his house in Khulna on September 16, 2017 by men who identified themselves as from RAB. Another man, picked up at the same time, was released after ten day. Police claim that Tarafdar is a ‘listed criminal’.
Abdul Jabbar
Abdul Jabbar, a student, was picked upon from his house in Satkhira on September 4, 2017 by men identifying themselves as police
Aminur Rahman, the secretary general of the Bangladesh Kalyan Party, which is part of the opposition alliance was allegedly picked up on August 27 by law enforcement authorities in Dhaka
Syed Sadat Ahmed, the managing director of ABN Group and a member of the executive committee of Bangladesh Nationalist Party was picked up by law enforcement officers on 22 August in Dhaka
http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/157941/Who-abducted-these-people-in-the-capital
Sohel Khan
Sohel Khan, the General Secretary of youth wing of Awami League of Chingrakhali union in Bagherat was picked up by RAB on July 17, 2017
Abdullah Al Faruq
Picked up on July 18, 2017
Abdullah Al Faruq, a student activist of the Awami League was picked up in Rajshai on July 18 by men who identified themselves as from the Rapid Action Battalion.
Azizul Haque Daud and Omor Faruk Mohon
Abdul Mannan , Shomsher Fakir and Johurul Islam
Thee men - Abdul Mannan , Shomsher Fakir and Johurul Islam – all furniture businessmen, were picked up on 12 June in Tangail by men who identified themselves as law enforcement officers.
Prothom Alo, 20 June, 2017
Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Nahid
Enamul Huq
Enamul Huq, a mechanic, was picked up in Dhaka on June 6, 2017 by over 15 men who identified themselves as law enforcement officers.
Seven men
Seven men - Mohammad Titu Biswas, Abdul Latif, Mohammad Shaheen Zaman (22); Rana Ahmed (25) Monwar Hossain (32), Milon Biswas (17), Al-Amin (25), Mohammad Saheb Ali (42), Emon Hossain (17) - were picked up between May 4 and 6, 2017 from two Villages in Jhenaidah district apparently by law enforcement authorities.
Abdul Kuddus Pramanik
Md. Abdul Kuddus Pramanik, a farmer, was picked up in Rajshai on 30 Mar 2017 by a group of men who introduced themselves as law enforcement officers.
Shafikur Rahman
SM Shafikur Rahman, 35, involved with a transportation business, and his brothers-in-law Md Hasan, 21, and Moazzem Hossain Sathi, 18 were picked up in Chittagong on March 24, 2017 by men who introduced themselves as law enforcement officers.
Shafiqul Islam Modhu
Shafiqul Islam Modhu, an employee of Rangpur Karuponno Garment Company, was picked up in Rangpur on January 13, 2017 by law enforcement officers from the house of his father in law in front of his family.
Hassan Ali
Hassan Ali, who worked as a salesman for a clothes shops, was picked up in Dhaka on 7 Jan 2017 by plain clothes dressed men, one of whom was identified in CCTV footage as being from the Detective Branch of Police
Abdullahil Amaan Azmi
Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem
Picked up on 9 August, 2016
According to his family, Quasem was picked up late at night on 9 August from his home in Mirpur in Dhaka. Ahmed is the son of Mir Quasem Ali, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader, who was executed on September 4 (whilst his son remained disappeared) following conviction for crimes committed during the country's independence war,
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/bangladesh-sons-convicted-war-criminals-detained-160811134823481.html
https://thewire.in/77772/british-bangladeshi-suspected-militant-links-detained-secretly-bangladesh-state-four-months/
Article source: https://bangladeshpolitico.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/disappearances-in-last-two-years-men.html?m=1
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