'They cut me with blades, rubbed salt on my wounds' – disappearance victims recount horrors, demand justice

Jesmin Nahar Beauty from Rangpur trembled as she addressed a gathering at the National Press Club in Dhaka today (29 August). Years ago, she was picked up by plainclothes men, blindfolded, and held in secret detention. At one point, she dared to open her eyes and saw the uniforms.

"I secretly opened my eyes and realised they were members of RAB. Every day, I was beaten. They cut my body with blades and rubbed salt into the wounds. The scars are still on my thighs. Any woman here, if they wish, I can show them as proof," she said, her voice breaking.

This is how victims of enforced disappearances and their families recounted stories of suffering, resilience, and demands for justice.

The event, organised by the Human Rights Support Society to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2025, highlighted not only the number of enforced disappearance cases but also the human suffering behind them.

The Bangladeshi rights organisation also placed a seven-point demand, including a call for the recently formed Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to be made "effective and permanent."

Voices of the disappeared

For many survivors, recounting their ordeal meant reliving moments of horror. Jesmin recalled a chilling moment when she thought her life was over.

"But, I still haven't received justice. Instead, I get threats from the same people. And I wonder — how can one woman inflict this kind of torture on another? When I think of it, I cannot hold back my tears," she said.

Another survivor, Mikel Changma, said enforced disappearances have been systematically used for decades to suppress dissent. "In the last 50 years, countless murders and disappearances have occurred in this country. Although a commission has been formed, there has been no real progress. We want the culprits swiftly identified and punished with exemplary sentences," he said.

Countless went missing, a few returned

According to the Human Rights Support Society, hundreds of people have gone missing in Bangladesh over the last decade. While some eventually returned, many remain untraced. Families continue to live in uncertainty, unable to access bank accounts, assets, or even basic closure.

The organisation said that simply signing international conventions is not enough. Without strong institutions, legal safeguards, and political will, disappearances will continue.

Call for justice grows louder

Mahadi Amin, adviser to BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, said, "If we come to power, we will ensure justice for disappearances and provide assistance to the affected families."

Ariful Adib, leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), emphasised institutional reform. "DGFI and NSI must be restructured. Their members involved in killings and disappearances over the past 15 years must be identified and brought to justice. Keeping the old structure intact means future elections will always be influenced and manipulated," he said.

Human rights activist Nabila Khan stressed that enforced disappearance is not an individual crime but a systemic failure. "The responsibility for disappearances lies with the system. Law enforcement must be equipped with manpower, training, and freedom to work through non-lethal methods. But most importantly, there must be genuine political will," she said.

A culture of silence and fear

The Human Rights Support Society noted that many families of the disappeared live in constant fear, often too afraid to speak publicly. Victims who return rarely file cases because of intimidation and lack of faith in the justice system. Survivors like Jesmin continue to receive threats years after their release.

The lack of accountability, coupled with weak institutions, has created what activists describe as a "culture of silence." Families often exhaust their savings searching for missing loved ones, only to be left in despair.

Why an effective commission matters

Speakers stressed that unless the newly formed Commission is made strong, independent, and permanent, it risks becoming another symbolic gesture.

"Bangladesh needs more than token commissions. We need a robust mechanism with teeth — one that can investigate without interference, hold perpetrators accountable, and offer redress to families," said Human Rights Support Society President Nur Khan.

As the discussion unfolded, survivors' testimonies lingered in the hall.

For Jesmin, scars on her body are proof of her ordeal, but justice has yet to come. "I survived by chance. Others never came back. If there is no justice, then what is the value of our suffering?" she asked.

The Human Rights Support Society emphasised that enforced disappearances are not just a political issue but a profound human tragedy. Behind every missing person is a family living in uncertainty and pain.

Unless the state takes decisive steps, they warned, the cycle of disappearances will haunt Bangladesh's democratic aspirations.

7-point demand

The seven-point demand put forward by the Human Rights Support Society is as follows:

• Implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance effectively.
• Provide immediate information to families of missing persons and conduct fair investigations to bring perpetrators to justice.
• Strengthen and make permanent the newly formed Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance.
• Offer legal, financial, and psychological support to victims' families.
• Allow families of the long-term missing to access their bank accounts and assets.
• Ensure accountability of law enforcement agencies through parliamentary oversight and mandatory human rights training.
• Embed human rights commitments into political party manifestos, national curricula, and mainstream media, highlighting issues of disappearances and extrajudicial killings.