Bangladesh signs international convention on enforced disappearances

Bangladesh on Thursday signed the instrument of accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, demonstrating its commitment to investigate each and every case of enforced disappearances.

Chief Adviser of the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus signed the instrument at the weekly meeting of the council of advisers on Thursday. 

“It is a historic occasion,” Dr Yunus said. 

The instrument was signed a day before the International Day for the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on August 30.

With this, Bangladesh is now party to all nine core human rights treaties, manifesting people's aspirations to uphold freedom and justice for everyone.

The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was adopted in New York on 20 December 2006.

The interim government earlier this week formed a commission to investigate every case of enforced disappearances by security forces during Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule.

The issue was earlier discussed in the meeting of the advisory council of the interim government.

There is a discussion to form a commission to look into the cases of disappearances, he said, adding that there is a similar commission in Sri Lanka which they will look into.