Bangladesh army says probe underway against personnel over enforced disappearances

Dhaka, Jul 3 (PTI) Bangladesh Army on Thursday said it has launched an investigation into allegations that some military personnel were involved in enforced disappearances and appropriate action will be taken against those found guilty.

"There are allegations that some (military personnel) might have been involved in such incidents during their service outside the army,” Colonel Staff of the Military Operations Directorate Shafiqul Islam told reporters.

"The matter is under investigation. If any army personnel is found guilty, appropriate action will be taken," he said.

He said the allegations were made against several military personnel who were on deputation to various organisations.

Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus earlier instituted a commission on enforced disappearance, which took place during the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime. It said the army, navy or air force were not institutionally involved in such actions.

However, some officers who were on deputation in the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) or other agencies like the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) or National Security Intelligence (NSI) were linked to such incidents.

The commission's chairman, Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, last month alleged that enforced disappearance was used as the tool of “systematic torture or oppression against the political opponents during Hasina's regime.

The army spokesman said the military was ready to extend any help required by families of victims of enforced disappearance.

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances recently urged Bangladesh to end widespread impunity related to enforced disappearances and called for genuine accountability from military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies. PTI AR ZH ZH