Fakhrul demands int'l probe into incidents of disappearance in BD

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged on Sunday the international community to take steps for carrying out an investigation into the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh, reports UNB.

"Over one lakh (0.1 million) cases have been filed against 35 lakh (3.5 million) people while about 842 were killed and around 603 made disappeared. These figures are based on different documents and reports, but many such incidents go unreported. So, we don't have complete information about it," he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a virtual discussion organised by the party, marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances that was observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe.

He further said, "We would like to draw the attention of the United Nations and the international community for an impartial probe into the incidents. They should form a judicial inquiry commission for looking into the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing."

He said his party earlier briefed the international community about the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh and sent a draft list to the UN. "It's unfortunate that no action has so far been taken in this regard."

The BNP leader said the nation has been going through a tough time as the democracy and the country's independence and sovereignty are at stake.

"Bangladesh has now completely turned into a fascist and autocratic state losing democracy. We must come out of this situation. Let's get united putting aside divisions and conflict to overcome the current situation," he said.

Fakhrul said an investigation is necessary to find out whether any foreign country has any link with the incidents of enforced disappearance and picking up Bangladeshi citizens to their country.

"If it happens, the independence and sovereignty of our country will be endangered. People of this country had liberated the country and established democracy through struggles and they'll now protect those at any cost," he said.