Govt to propose special allowance for families of victims of enforced disappearance: Mirza Fakhrul

The government will propose introducing a special state allowance for families of victims of enforced disappearance, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday.

Speaking as the chief guest at a national dialogue marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2026at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in Dhaka, the minister said the proposal would be placed before the government for inclusion in the current national budget.

He said the government would continue legal proceedings against those responsible for enforced disappearances to ensure justice for the victims and their families.

"The government will stand by you in every struggle to secure justice," he told relatives of disappeared persons attending the event.

The dialogue, themed "The Right to Compensation and Rehabilitation," focused on measures to support victims of torture and enforced disappearance through financial assistance, rehabilitation and legal redress.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Barrister Qaiser Kamal said the time had come to move beyond grief and secure justice and rights for victims' families.

"This is not the time for tears; this is the time to claim rights and ensure justice," he said.

He also expressed hope that the National Human Rights Commission would be strengthened and that Parliament would establish a dedicated committee to address cases of enforced disappearance.

The event was attended by family members of people who were allegedly subjected to enforced disappearance during the previous administration. Many shared emotional accounts of losing their loved ones and called for compensation, rehabilitation and accountability for those responsible.

Lawmakers Tahsina Rushdir Luna and Sanzida Islam Tuli, along with International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam and other government officials, legal experts and rights advocates, also attended the dialogue.

The event was organised to highlight the rights of victims of torture and enforced disappearance and to discuss measures aimed at ensuring justice, rehabilitation and institutional support for affected families.