BNP wants international probe into incidents of disappearance
BNP on Sunday urged the international community to do something for carrying out an investigation in to the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh.
“Over one lakh cases have already been filed against 35 lakh persons while about 842 were killed and around 603 made disappeared. These figures derive from different documents and reports, but many such incidents remain unreported. So, we don’t have complete details about it,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He further said, “We would like to draw the attention of the US and the international community for an impartial probe in to the incidents. They should form a judicial inquiry commission for looking into the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing.”
Fakhrul made the remarks at a virtual discussion arranged by BNP, marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances that was seen in the united states as elsewhere around the world today, UNB reports.
He said their party earlier briefed the international community about the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh and sent a draft list to the UN. “It’s unfortunate that no action has up to now used this regard.”
The BNP leader said the nation has been going right through a tough time as the democracy and the country’s independence and sovereignty are in stake.
“Bangladesh has completely converted into a fascist and autocratic state losing democracy. We should come out of this example. Let’s get united putting aside trivia divisions and conflict to overcome the existing situation,” he said.
Fakhrul said an investigation is necessary to learn whether any foreign country has any link with the incidents of enforced disappearance and picking up Bangladeshi citizens with their country.
“If it happens, the independence and sovereignty of our country will be endangered. People of this country had liberated the united states and established democracy through struggles and they’ll now protect those no matter what” he said.
The BNP secretary general said their party believes persons of the country will wake up and carry out challenging to revive democracy and their all lost rights.
He also highlighted the contributions of their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia to protecting democracy and upholding the country’s independence.
Fakhrul alleged that the existing government is least bothered about public sufferings as it ‘usurped’ power using the state machinery. “So, they don’t have any sense of responsibility towards people.”
He said media and civil society members have become vocal against the brutal killing of retired army officer Sinha as he was put through extrajudicial killing. “But it’s regrettable that though many innocent persons were found and killed the same manner for political and other reasons, they and the media didn’t have any voice.”
Senior BNP leaders and the members of the family of some victims of enforced disappearance spoke at the programme.
The representatives from some foreign missions and international bodies stationed in Dhaka joined the programme.
