8 secret detention facilities, 200 still missing

The Inquiry Commission investigating enforced disappearances has received over 1,600 complaints regarding incidents of enforced disappearances during the regime of the Sheikh Hasina government.

The commission has identified eight secret detention centres where victims were held for prolonged periods. It has also reported that approximately 200 individuals are still missing among those who have been victims of enforced disappearances.

The commission, established by the Interim Government, disclosed this information during a press conference on Tuesday. The event was held at the commission's office in Gulshan to highlight its ongoing activities.

Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, the president of the commission, and four other members were present at the briefing.

Justice Chowdhury stated that the deadline for submitting complaints to the commission was 31 October. Over 1,600 complaints had been submitted by victims and their families.

These complaints allege that the disappearances occurred between 6 January 2009, and 5 August 2024. He mentioned that the commission has analysed 400 complaints so far and interviewed 140 complainants.

Investigations have uncovered allegations implicating various organisations, including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Detective Branch (DB), Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC), and the police.

Commission member Sazzad Hossain revealed that among the 400 analysed complaints, RAB was found to be involved in 172 cases. The CTTC of Dhaka Metropolitan Police was implicated in 37 cases, DB in 55 cases, and DGFI in 26 cases.

Police involvement was found in 25 incidents. Additionally, the commission discovered 68 cases where administrative personnel were identified, though the specific forces involved could not be determined.

Commission member Nur Khan reported that approximately 200 individuals remain unaccounted for. The families of many of these individuals have claimed that they were taken by law enforcement agencies.

He also noted that the commission is investigating cases reported in the media, in addition to the complaints submitted. For instance, an inquiry is underway into the case of a woman from Cox’s Bazar who has been missing since 2015.

In regard to the discovery of so-called “safe houses,” commission member Nabila Idris explained that these locations, commonly known as “Aynaghar,” are in fact secret detention centres. To date, the commission has identified eight such facilities in and around Dhaka.

Sazzad Hossain further stated, "We have received reports of ‘safe houses’ belonging to various forces across the country, and we are actively investigating these locations."

Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, the commission’s chief, also mentioned that the commission had visited several significant locations, including the DGFI headquarters, multiple RAB offices (RAB-1 in Uttara, RAB-11 in Narayanganj, and RAB-2 in Mohammadpur), the Crime Prevention Centre of RAB-2 in Agargaon, and the DB office on Minto Road, as part of their investigation into the allegations.

Nur Khan, a member of the commission, presented a photo of a secret detention centre allegedly operated by RAB during the press conference.

He stated, “We have found evidence of a person who kept a diary or made notes to mark the passage of time while they were missing - documenting how they counted the days.

In addition, we have obtained the names of other individuals involved. We also learned of the worst cell nearby, the one even worse than the notorious joint interrogation centre known as Aynaghar. We have visited these locations.”

Nur Khan explained that the secret detention centre was managed under the supervision of RAB.

“If you look at the detention centre,” he said, “you will understand the cruelty with which people were held there. The urinal and toilet area were inside a tiny cell measuring just three and a half feet by four feet. These rooms were sealed off, with no access to light or air.

There was only a small hole in the wall, which was usually sealed shut, and only occasionally opened to check on the prisoner. The drainage system in these cells was where prisoners had to urinate, defecate, or even shower.”

When asked about the reasons behind the disappearances, Commission Chairman Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury explained, “In some cases, we found that the victims were critics of the then government, possibly because they wrote something on Facebook. However, there are cases where it is unclear who was responsible for their disappearance. We also found people who had no political affiliation but were targeted for criticising the government in various media outlets.”

He further alleged that former army officer Hasinur Rahman went missing due to his anti-India stance. In response to a journalist's question about this, Moyeenul Chowdhury said, “Hasinur was first disappeared from Mymensingh cantonment, and then again after his retirement. It is difficult to understand why he was specifically targeted. Regardless of whether the reason was political, anti-India sentiments, or any other cause, these disappearances are clear violations of human rights.”

When asked whether any neighbouring countries were involved in the disappearances, the chairman responded, “We are looking into that matter.”

Commission member Nabila Idris added, “So far, we have identified four main reasons for enforced disappearances. A significant number of cases are linked to political reasons. Another large portion of disappearances appears to be related to suspicions of terrorism. We have also received evidence indicating that some people went missing due to business or family issues. Additionally, there are several cases where the reasons for the disappearances are still unclear to us.”

The head of the commission, Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, stated, "We have observed attempts to destroy evidence. We saw this during our visit, and we have formally written to have these actions stopped."

In this context, commission member Sazzad Hossain mentioned that many secret detention cells had been destroyed, some after 5 August and possibly some even earlier.

He said, “When I asked those currently in charge about this, they were unable to provide a proper answer. They said, ‘We arrived later, and did not see it. This may have happened before our time.’”

Commission member Nabila Idris conveyed a strong message to the law enforcement agencies: "You must refrain from destroying evidence of enforced disappearances. There is no benefit in doing so. The statements of the surviving victims have already been taken, and based on those statements, we will identify the locations."

She added, “If the evidence of disappearances are destroyed, the current commanding officers will be implicated in the crimes committed by those who were in charge before them. But you were not in charge before 5 August. So why destroy evidence and get involved in past crimes?”

In response to a question, Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury said, "Many people are still missing, and we do not know who is responsible for their disappearance. If someone is taken by forces or organisations outside the government, it does not fall under our purview. We have identified 22 such cases, which are beyond our scope of work. We will refer these cases to the police headquarters, and the police will then begin their search for the missing individuals."

Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury stated that law enforcement agencies have, in many cases, been used for individual, group, party, or political purposes, rather than serving the national or public interest.

This misuse of power led to the creation of secret detention centres such as ‘Aynaghar’. Within RAB-1, it is referred to as the Task Force for Interrogation, while in the DGFI, it is known as the Joint Interrogation Cell. There are also other secret detention centres across the country operated by various forces.

The commission president highlighted that, under the law, an accused person can only be held in custody for up to 24 hours after being arrested.

However, persons such as Barrister Arman and Brigadier General (retd) Azmi were held in secret detention for up to eight years. "Can such a thing be imagined in a free country?" he asked. "These incidents are gross violations of human rights and are both illegal and unconstitutional."

Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury further stressed the importance of bringing those responsible for enforced disappearances to justice and ensuring they receive appropriate punishment.

"This will set an example for potential criminals in the future," he said. “The process of summoning those accused of enforced disappearances has already begun, with seven individuals having been summoned so far. All accused, including members of law enforcement and DGFI personnel, will eventually be called.”

The chairman also noted that while 31 October was the final date for submitting complaints to the commission, they would still consider any complaints received after the deadline, provided there was a valid reason.