Enforced disappearance: Commission finds proof of ‘Aynaghar’, 400 complaints filed

As many as 400 complaints have been filed in the commission that was formed to investigate the enforced disappearances during the previous Awami League government in 13 working days.

According to the victims’ complaints, the commission has found a secret detention facility at the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) office.

The joint interrogation cell (JIC), popularly  known as “Aynaghar”, is located inside the DGFI headquarters. There are 22 cells in the two-storey building.

Retired High Court division justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury disclosed this at a press conference at the office of the commission of inquiry regarding the enforced disappearance in the city’s Gulshan area around 12:00 pm.

Moyeenul Islam is the chairman of the inquiry commission.

“We have worked on the complaints of those who became victims of enforced disappearances under the state’s patronisation or by the law and order forces. We will also summon the accused for their statements. If they do not appear (before the commission), action will be taken as per law,” Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury said.

The commission’s president also said, “Most of the complaints of enforced disappearances are against RAB, DGFI, DB and CTTC. We visited DGFI’s Aynaghar on 25 September. Later we visited the premises of DB and CTTC on 1 October. However, we did not find any prisoners there. Probably everyone was released from there after 5 August.”

Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury further said that the deadline for submitting the complaints was 30 September but the time has been extended until 10 October. If necessary, the time will be extended, he added.

He said 75 people gave their statements appearing before the commission while many have sent those through mail and email.

The former HC justice said they would know in the coming days whether the investigation in this regard could be finished in three months.

The commission’s member Nur Khan said, “We would not distinguish the victims identifying them separately. (But) we want to hear about each complaint. We want to know what happened and want to realise how (people were) kept detained without following the law.”

Another member of the commission Nabila Idris told the media that many of the 400 allegations have been brought forth.

She said no one earlier spoke about forced disappearance, their GDs were also not registered at the police stations.

“We ask all to appear before the commission. We want to work attentively. Complaints are being filed from outside of Dhaka as well. If any one cannot come in person, they can send complaints via mail and email. We will give equal importance to those as well. We shall phone them and record their statements,” Nabila Idris stated.

Commission member Sazzad Hossain told the media, “We have found similarities in description of victims of Aynaghar during visiting those at the DGFI (office). But changes have been made in some cases. They have destroyed many important pieces of evidence, especially the walls have been painted to hide the writings. We have asked them, in writing as well, not to change anything until the investigation is completed.”

Earlier, the interim government on 27 August formed a commission, headed by a retired justice of the High Court division, to investigate the incidents of forced disappearance by the law enforcement agencies during the Awami League government.