Mon Jan 05 11:13:49 UTC 2026: Headline: Inquiry Reveals Thousands Missing in Bangladesh, Links Enforced Disappearances to Ousted Leader
Dhaka, Bangladesh – A Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has released a report detailing the alarming scale of disappearances in Bangladesh, suggesting a significant number are linked to the regime of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina.
The commission’s report, posted on Facebook by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, states that of the 1,913 complaints filed, 1,569 were verified as enforced disappearances. Shockingly, 287 of these cases fall into the “Missing and Dead” category.
However, Commission member Nabila Idris suggests the true number of enforced disappearances could be far higher, estimating between 4,000 and 6,000 individuals may have vanished. She explained that many victims remain unreported, either out of fear, lack of awareness, or relocation.
The commission, established after Hasina’s ouster, asserts that the disappearances were “primarily political,” targeting members of opposition parties. According to the report, a significant majority of those who returned alive were affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami (75%) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) (22%), Hasina’s main political rivals. Among those still missing, 68% are BNP leaders and 22% are from Jamaat-Camp.
The report further implicates Hasina, her defense advisor Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, alleging they ordered the disappearances of prominent BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders.
Yunus hailed the report as “historic,” highlighting the need for national healing and accountability. He condemned the perpetrators and emphasized the importance of preventing such atrocities from recurring.
The release of the report comes shortly after the death of Khaleda Zia, the long-time leader of the BNP and a key political rival of Hasina. Hasina was previously sentenced to death in absentia for her role in the brutal crackdown on student-led protests in 2024.
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