Extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Bangladesh refer to extrajudicial executions carried out by law enforcement agencies without due legal process and to abduction cases in which the government directly or indirectly kidnaps people and holds them incommunicado. From 2009 to 2023, at least 2,699 people were victims of extrajudicial killings in the 160-million-strong Bangladesh. During the period, 677 people were forcibly disappeared, and 1,048 people died in custody. From 2004 to 2006, at least 991 people were killed extrajudicially by "death squad" the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The practice of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances primarily involves law enforcement agencies such as the RAB and the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.
These practices began during the administration of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and continued through subsequent regimes, including those of General Ershad and the government of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. During its tenure from 2009 to 2024, the Awami League government has been particularly noted for using such tactics to control dissent, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Nations and human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, repeatedly appeal to the government to stop these human rights violations, but to no avail. In 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the RAB and its seven high officials. Since the imposition of the US sanctions, the number of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances has begun decreasing.
In 2016, the families of the victims of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh founded a platform Mayer Daak to press their demand to know the whereabouts of their loved ones who disappeared under mysterious situation. On 14 August 2022, Netra News, which was then blocked in Bangladesh, published a whistleblower report alleging that Bangladesh officials were holding and torturing victims of enforced disappearances at Aynaghar, a secret detention facility.
After the downfall of the Awami league government in a mass uprising on 5 August 2024, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus formed a five-member inquiry commission on 27 August 2024, to investigate extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Headed by a retired high court judge, the commission was tasked with investigating the activities of the police, the RAB, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Special Branch (SB), the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the military's Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
On 29 August 2024, the interim government also signed the instrument of accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, aiming at preventing enforced disappearances as a state party.
Background It first occurred after the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's administration between 1972 and 1975. Many members of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, army officers and other opposition party members were picked up by Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini, an elite para-military force formed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It has continued since then and through the formation of Rapid Action Battalion. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Since then, during her regime, around 402 people have been forcefully disappeared by the state security forces.
After the Awami League party assumed power in the country through election in 2009, law and order situation began to deteriorate with opposition men being attacked by the ruling party men that left several opposition men killed and many others injured. Armed conflicts and violence erupted in the university campuses throughout the country. Political activities of the opposition parties were often attacked. From 2010, picking up of opposition leaders and activists by the state security forces began to surge in the country.
Pre-election period of 2013 Throughout most of 2013, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its alliance observed nationwide general strikes and blockades in demand of a non-partisan interim government or a caretaker government to hold the next general election of 2014. The E.U., the U.S. and the Commonwealth announced that they would not send observers since they were concerned about the credibility of the election. Before the controversial national election of 2014, 20 opposition men were picked up by security forces. , they remained missing.
From 2014 to July 2019, 344 people were victims of forced disappearance in Bangladesh. 40 of them were found dead, 66 were found under arrest in government custody and 203 still remain missing according to Ain o Salish Kendra. Those who have reappeared remained silent about the period they were missing.
Notable cases of enforced disappearances Mizanur Rahman Tutul
On 27 July 2008, physician and political activist Mizanur Rahman Tutul was shot dead by police officers in an act of extrajudicial killing. Tutul was a high-ranking member of the banned Purbo Banglar Communist Party, and led the Lal Pataka (Red Flag) faction.
M Ilias Ali
On 17 April 2012, M. Ilias Ali, was a former Member of Parliament and prominent leader of the main opposition party BNP, went missing after last being seen in Banani, Dhaka at midnight with his driver. His private car was found abandoned near his Dhaka home. In the following days, five of his party men died and many were injured as they observed strikes and demonstration programs in protest of the disappearance. The incident got much media coverage.
Aminul Islam Aminul Islam, a Bangladeshi trade unionist, was a member of Bangladesh Garment & Industrial Workers Federation and an organizer for the Bangladesh Center of Worker Solidarity. On 5 April 2012, Islam's dead body was found near Dhaka after being disappeared earlier. The body bore marks of torture. His disappearance and murder sparked much international criticism.
Amaan Azmi, Mir Ahmad and Hummam Chowdhury In August 2016, sons of three opposition leaders were picked up by Bangladesh security forces and were taken to unknown places. The victims were a former brigadier-general of the Bangladesh Army Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, son of Ghulam Azam; Hummam Quader Chowdhury, son of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury; and Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, son of Mir Quasem Ali. Amaan Azmi was forcedly picked up from his residence in front of his family members. In all three cases, there were multiple witnesses, but the state police denied their involvements in the abductions. Later, the United Nations expressed concern over the abductions of three men, and urged the Sheikh Hasina's government to check the increasing number of cases of forced disappearances in the country. Hummam Quader Chowdhury returned home in March 2017 and reported that he could not "remember" who detained him. In August 2024, Amaan Azmi and Mir Ahmad were released from Aynaghor after the fall of Sheikh Hasina´s regime.
Sukharanjan Bali A prosecution witness who was abducted allegedly by plainclothed police on 5 November 2012 from the gate of Supreme Court after he had decided to testify in favour of an accused war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee, who at the time was being tried before the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh. He was later traced to Kolkata's Dumdum prison.
Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem was a victim of enforced disappearance and was believed to have been abducted by security forces of the government of Bangladesh. He is the son of late Mir Quasem Ali, a prominent leader of the opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and was a member of his father's legal defence team before his abduction.
Mir Ahmad was reportedly snatched from in front of his family members at his house in Mirpur, Dhaka during the night on 9 August 2016. Mir Ahmad was released on 6 August 2024, the very next day after Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled Bangladesh following popular protests. Pictures shared on social media by family members showed him embracing his mother and two daughters.
Other cases
2008 Tushar Islam Tipu: Abducted on 22 July 2008 by Rapid Action Battalion, Tipu's family sought help from home ministry of Bangladesh who later issued a letter to authorities in November 2012 to carry out the investigation. But there was no progress on the investigation on his whereabouts.
2011 Habibul Hawlader: A fisherman from Morelganj in Bagerhat was abducted on 6 June 2011. KM Shamim Akhter: Former vice-president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union, a student wing of Bangladesh communist party was abducted on 29 September 2011. He was picked from his home at Purana Paltan area.
2012 Waliullah and Muqaddas: On 5 February 2012 approximately at 1.00 a.m. Al Mukaddas (22), fourth-year student of the Department of Al Fiqah and Mohammad Waliullah (23), a Masters candidate of Dawah and Islamic Studies Department of Islamic University, Bangladesh were allegedly arrested and disappeared by some persons who identified themselves as RAB-4 and DB Police members from Savar. Both were members of the Islamic student organization Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir. Amnesty International along with other rights organizations expressed their concern over this issue and called for urgent action. Dinar: Dinar was the General Secretary of Chhatra Dal of Sylhet district. He was picked up in March 2012. Juned: He was friend of Dinar and Sylhet Chhatra Dal member. He was picked up along with Dinar. Mohammad Imam Hassan: Son of a street hawker. He was kidnapped in 2012 and was rescued the next day by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion but the paramilitary force still has not freed the man.
2013 Nizam Uddin Munna: He was picked up from his house in 2013. His father alleged that Rapid Action Battelion picked his son. Khalid Hasan Sohel: Khali Hasan Sohel was the president of Bangladesh Nationalist Party's student wing, Chhatra Dal of Dhaka ward 89. He was picked up by law enforcement agencies in 2013. Mofizul Islam Rashed: Leader of Chhatra Dal, a student wing of Bangladesh Nationalists Party was picked up in front of Diamond Garment on Mirpur Mazar Road in April 2013. His family says people who picked him up were dressed like members of Detective Branch (DB) police. Jakir Hossain: Jakir Hossain was picked up by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-2 from his residence at the capital's Adabar thana on 2 April 2013 at midnight. He was a member of Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir and acting president of the Adabar thana unit under Dhaka City West branch. He was student of a Dental Institute in Dhaka. Mohammad Anwarul Islam: On 5 April 2013 at around 2:25am, members of Rapid Action Battalion-5 arrested Mr. Mohammad Anwarul Islam and Mosammat Nurjahan Begum of Angariapara village in Chapainawabganj from house number 175 of Bil-Shimla Moholla under Rajpara Police Station in Rajshahi district. Later, when family members contacted the RAB-5 office, RAB notified that Anwarul had never been arrested by them. An allegation of enforced disappearance was brought against the members of RAB by Anwarul's family members. Upon inquiry, it was found that Anwarul was a last year Master's student of Mathematics department of Rajshahi College. Moreover, he was the Office Secretary of the Islami Chattra Shibir of Rajshahi district. Zahirul Islam Bhuiyan Parvez, Narayanganj district Jubo League publicity secretary, was picked up from Gulshan by members of Detective Branch on 6 July 2013 and never seen again. Khaled Hasan Sohel: Sohel was the president of BNP local unit in Sutrapur, Old Dhaka. He was picked up when he went to Dhaka Central Jail to meet his friends who were imprisoned on 28 November 2013. Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Masum: He was abducted on 4 December 2013. Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Masum was studying in final year in Government of Titumir College and was preparing to get into National Security Intelligence.