The issue of 'disappearances' has occupied the time of most of us of late, more so after the very recent vanishing of a high-profile BNP office bearer. Unfortunately, nearly all of those who have 'disappeared' have remained untraceable so far, while some have been found dead, their bodies turning up in odd places.
It is regrettable that in most of these instances the finger has been pointed towards the law enforcing agencies because of the circumstantial evidence as well as statements, in certain cases, of the victims' relatives. That the suspicions were not ill-founded have been, too a very large extent, established by the recent remarks of the Chairman of the Nation Human Rights Commission that the NHRC, during its investigations, has found the connection of certain law enforcing agencies in some of these cases.
If that is so, may we ask what actions have been taken to bring those law enforcers suspected of complicity in these disappearances to book? As per the statement of the chairman NHRC, the findings and recommendations have been sent to the Home Ministry. Certainly there has to be systemic flaws in institutions whose members indulge in unlawful activities such this. And we ask the government to clarify its action with regards to addressing the flaws in the light of the NHRC recommendations.
We feel constrained to say that there is a serious fault in the process of oversight of the activities of the law enforcing agencies if not a total absence of it. There is also a serious lack of accountability of the agencies that point to the overall poor state of governance in the country. Presently the Commission cannot investigate matters where the law enforcing agencies are involved. This needs change.
The report and subsequent statement of the NHRC Chairman must be taken cognizance of and corrective measures put in place immediately.