NHRC worried over enforced disappearances

The National Human Rights Commission yesterday expressed concern over the recent incidents of enforced disappearance and abduction and asked the government to find the victims and return them to their families immediately.

It also urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps in this regard so that repetition of such incidents could be prevented, said a press release of the NHRC.

The rights body yesterday held a discussion on some incidents of reported enforced disappearance and abduction.

It asked the authorities concerned to submit a report after investigating the abduction of Aniruddha Kumar Roy, a businessman, from Gulshan on Sunday.

“Enforced disappearance and abduction are an extreme violation of human rights,” NHRC Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said in his statement.

“As the state is responsible for ensuring security of the people, we demand that the government find the victims and return them to their families immediately and conduct fair investigations into the incidents."

The NHRC thinks that it will not be accepted at all if any law enforcement agency is involved in such crimes, Reazul added.

According to the NHRC, some 52 people became victim to enforced disappearance and abduction from January to June this year. Besides, three people were reportedly kidnapped in the last six days.

The rights body also thinks that the incidents of enforced disappearance and abduction are increasing due to culture of impunity and social instability, the release added.