‘Enforced disappearances’: UN working group wants to visit Bangladesh to examine 2 cases
The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances wants to undertake a visit to Bangladesh in relation to two cases of enforced disappearances.
The two cases mentioned include Ansar Ali, allegedly abducted on April 18, 2012 from Dhaka by armed men believed to be state agents; and Saidur Rahman Kazi, allegedly arrested from Jashore Municipality Park on April 5, 2017 by police officers.
The UN working group discussed the issues at its 123rd session held in Geneva from February 15 to 19 to examine more than 600 cases from 36 countries, according a statement of the UN Human Rights Council.
The working group comprises five independent experts: Chair-Rapporteur Tae-Ung Baik (Republic of Korea); Vice-Chair Henrikas Mickevicius (Lithuania); and members Aua Balde (Guinea-Bissau); Bernard Duhaime (Canada) and Luciano Hazan (Argentina).
The statement said the experts examined allegations received regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, such as regressive legislation and practices, or systemic failures in addressing cases of enforced disappearance.
Issues such as disappearances perpetrated by non-state actors, as well as enforced disappearances occurring in the context of transnational transfers, were also be discussed.
The Working Group also discussed internal matters and future activities, including country visits planned for 2021 and 2022.
The Working Group noted with concern that it has been raising similar reports regarding the situation of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh for several years, but was alarmed that it continues to receive cases, many of which relate to individuals linked to opposition political parties, and by the apparent impunity for the practice in the country.
"It also strongly regrets the lack of engagement with the Working Group. In this regard, the Working Group notes that it has not received replies to any outstanding cases this year and that only one case has ever been clarified since the Working Group transmitted the first case to the Government in 1996."
The UN Working Group hopes to receive information on the outstanding cases as soon as possible, while reiterating its interest in undertaking a visit to Bangladesh, as expressed in several communications transmitted since 2013.