Government Wants to End the Culture of Enforced Disappearance: Home Minister

At a glance

• Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed spoke after the ninth meeting of the Special Committee on Constitutional Amendment of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on October 28.
• Forty-eight people participated, including families of those who disappeared or were killed, relatives of people still missing and people who returned after being disappeared.
• Families called for safeguards against future disappearances, fair and speedy trials, support for families of the missing and official recognition of victims.
• The Home Minister said allegations against a law enforcement agency would be investigated by a different agency, not by the unit under accusation.
• He said the Prevention and Remedy of Enforced Disappearance Act provides for compensation, including state compensation when responsible people’s assets are unavailable or insufficient. The committee, however, has not yet reached a final decision on constitutional amendments.

Context

The meeting brought victims’ families directly into the parliamentary committee’s discussions on constitutional and legal safeguards. Several MPs with personal or family experiences of disappearance also spoke about torture and the loss of legal protection and justice.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the committee would consider constitutional safeguards and other measures through laws and regulations. He also addressed wider concerns about extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody and politically motivated persecution.

Why It Matters

The Home Minister’s assurance that a different agency will investigate allegations addresses one concern, but leaves another unresolved that changing the agency does not necessarily make an investigation independent. Shared operations, institutional ties and rank may affect whether investigators are able to scrutinise accused officials without interference. This is crucial because investigations help determine whether families can obtain legal recognition and compensation.

Promises of justice and support mean more when families have a trusted way to get answers, instead of relying only on an investigation that may face delays or problems. But the central question still is whether investigators gather evidence and establish responsibility without having influence from the institutions under investigation.

What We Think

The government hearing victims’ families and pursuing dedicated legal protections is a good initiative. But assigning another agency is a safeguard, not a complete answer.
Clarity is needed from the committee’s side about the investigators’ authority, oversight and reporting arrangements, alongside how families access support while cases are unsolved.