Between 2009 and 2023, under the rule of the Awami League-led government, Bangladesh witnessed 2,699 extrajudicial killings. During this period, there have also been reports of 677 enforced disappearances, while 1,048 individuals died in custody. This information is revealed in a statistics report of the human rights organization Odhikar. The organization also claims that if the fatalities from the anti-discrimination student movement and incidents from 2024 are included, the number of deaths would surpass 3,000.
Odhikar’s report criticizes the Awami League government for failing to uphold accountability and the rule of law. The organization argues that an ineffective judicial system allowed the government to use law enforcement agencies to carry out extrajudicial killings, abductions, and murders. These incidents include killings during torture, cross-fires, extortion under the threat of murder, shootings of opposition activists, detentions of businessmen followed by looting, and extortion from citizens under the threat of arrest.
Odhikar’s data on extrajudicial killings reveals that in 2009, the first year of the Awami League government, 154 people were killed. This figure was 127 in 2010, 84 in 2011, and 70 in 2012. The number spiked to 329 in 2013. In 2014, the year of the general election, 172 people were killed, followed by 186 in 2015, 178 in 2016, and 155 in 2017.
In 2018, the year of the 12th national parliamentary elections, a staggering 466 people were killed extrajudicially. The numbers dropped to 391 in 2019 and 225 in 2020. After the United States imposed visa restrictions on Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies in 2021, the number of killings decreased to 107, and further reduced to 31 in 2022, and 24 in 2023.
Over these 15 years, 677 individuals were forcibly disappeared, with the highest number, 98, occurring in 2018 during the 12th national parliamentary elections. Other significant years include 2009 with three disappearances, 19 in 2010, 32 in 2011, 26 in 2012, 54 in 2013, 39 in 2014, 67 in 2015, 90 in 2016, 88 in 2017, 34 in 2019, 31 in 2020, 23 in 2021, 21 in 2022, and 52 in 2023.
Not just Odhikar, but Faruq Faisel, Executive Director of the human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), also corroborates these figures. Speaking to Barta7, he mentioned, “While there may be some numerical differences between our data and Odhikar’s, these are minimal. We trust Odhikar’s information.”
Analysis reveals that enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings peaked during election years, doubling compared to other years. The year 2018 saw the highest number of extrajudicial killings, with 466 individuals murdered. This was also the year with the most enforced disappearances, coinciding with the 12th national parliamentary elections. Deaths in custody were also the third highest during this period.
Many of those who were forcibly disappeared remain missing. However, those who have returned recount being abducted by individuals identifying as law enforcement officers and finding themselves in a locked room. These rooms, referred to as ‘Aynaghor’ or ‘Safe Homes’, are where they were held for years and subjected to horrific and brutal torture.
Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman was forcibly taken from his home in Mirpur by individuals identifying themselves as law enforcement officers on August 9, 2016. Since then, his family endured relentless harassment from the authorities. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, Arman has returned to his family. He revealed that he had been held captive in the ‘Aynaghor’ all this time.
Yesterday (August 11), Arman’s mother, Khondaker Ayesha Khatun, spoke to Barta7. “Our lives have been a constant struggle since my son was abducted. We faced police harassment, insecurity, and regular raids at our home. There wasn’t a single month without a police visit. Sometimes it was the Mirpur police station, other times multiple stations, or even joint forces. We were also tormented by local goons. Our relatives couldn’t visit us, not even our drivers. Eventually, our children became traumatized. We had to leave our home in 2021. But we couldn’t even rent it out.”
Regarding Arman’s return, his mother shared, “He said he wasn’t physically tortured in the Aynaghor. But his cell was extremely small. A large fan constantly made a deafening noise, and sometimes loud music played. As a result, he now suffers from persistent dizziness. His eyes were blindfolded for a year, and his hands were handcuffed. During the day, his hands were bound in front, and at night, they were tied behind him. He endured hunger and cold, with no clothing provided for warmth. However, Arman was mentally resilient. Yet, he is now constantly anxious, hesitant to speak. He cannot talk in front of people. When someone speaks, he holds our hands tightly. He struggles to see, and when he tries to sleep, he is overwhelmed with fear. He feels that staying with us now is just a dream and fears it will vanish as soon as he falls asleep.”
According to the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), 255 people were forcibly disappeared in the country between 2008 and 2019. On the other hand, Ain o Salish Kendra’s (ASK) data shows that from 2015 to 2023, 260 people were victims of enforced disappearance, of which 192 are still missing. Among them are leaders and activists from BNP and other political parties, as well as students and businessmen who were primarily vocal against the then Sheikh Hasina government.
Human rights activist Nur Khan commented, “For a long time, Bangladesh has witnessed extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and murders. These are grave crimes and crimes against humanity. These incidents occurred in various ways, including killings in crossfire, demands for ransom after abduction, deaths in police custody, and more. Simultaneously, steps were taken to prevent victims from seeking justice in the courts, creating obstacles to their pursuit of justice.”
Unable to bear such atrocities, ordinary people have staged a mass uprising, believes Nur Khan. He told Barta7, “It is time to bring justice to the victims of enforced disappearances and cross-fires. An independent inquiry commission must be established, one in which people have trust. Those involved in these incidents, whether from the ruling political party or law enforcement agencies, must be identified and brought to justice. Exemplary punishment must be ensured so that no government or law enforcement personnel dare to engage in such activities. Additionally, the families of those missing must be provided with financial assistance and support.”
Faruq Faisel, Executive Director of Ain o Salish Kendra, remarked that the government in power for the past 15 years failed to establish the rule of law. Speaking to Barta7, he said, “They killed democracy, took away people’s legal rights, and silenced journalists. Those who opposed the government politically faced enforced disappearances, murders, and extrajudicial killings. Today, the truth about the Aynaghor is coming to light, and the stories of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and the missing will be revealed. The interim government’s responsibility is to investigate these incidents and publish a white paper. Those accused must be questioned, and if proven guilty, justice must be served for those unjustly killed.”
