No evidence of enforced disappearance in Miraj Sheikh case, says home minister
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said an independent investigation into the disappearance of Miraj Sheikh, who has been missing from Mongla in Bagerhat since April 10, found no evidence that any security force was involved.
He rejected concerns that the case could constitute Bangladesh’s first enforced disappearance since the July 2024 uprising.
“An independent investigation has been conducted into the incident involving Miraj Sheikh, but the investigation found no evidence of the involvement of any force,” Salahuddin said on Saturday.
His remarks came at a panel discussion titled “To Make the Disappeared Appear: Law, Justice, Accountability and Human Rights”, organised by Mayer Dak at the National Museum in Dhaka to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
The panel discussion was moderated by Mayer Dak coordinator and reserved-seat lawmaker Sanjida Islam Tuli.
The fate of Miraj Sheikh emerged as a central issue at the discussion, with speakers calling for his return to his family and demanding a transparent and independent investigation into his disappearance.
Former National Human Rights Commission member Nur Khan Liton, who recently visited Mongla to investigate the case, challenged the government’s position and alleged that members of the Coast Guard were involved.
“I went to Mongla 10 days ago and visited the site. The eyewitness accounts and evidence, taken together, clearly point in certain directions as to who committed the incident. Unfortunately, the government has so far failed to clarify this, or even if it has, it has not informed us. Rather, the Coast Guard’s statement makes it seem as though demanding information about Miraj Sheikh’s whereabouts is itself a crime,” Liton said.
He also accused the Coast Guard of intimidating local residents and potential witnesses.
“We are being called an ‘interested’ group. I have no interest in Mongla and no dispute with the Coast Guard. Some members of the Coast Guard are involved in the incident involving Miraj Sheikh. But I do not know why the entire force wants to take all the responsibility upon itself. They are intimidating people, not allowing locals to stay there, and not creating an environment where witnesses can testify,” he said.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), citing eyewitnesses, recently said Miraj was last seen in Coast Guard custody. The international rights organisation expressed deep concern over the case, describing it as the first case of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh since the July uprising of 2024.
Members of Miraj Sheikh’s family were present at Saturday’s event.
Salahuddin, however, offered a different account of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
He said joint forces had carried out “Operation Mangrove” and “Operation Sundarban” against pirates and forest robbers in the Sundarbans and coastal areas. The operations resulted in the surrender and arrest of a number of suspects as well as the recovery of weapons.
“There are also many groups of pirates here. One group is against another. The incident involving Miraj Sheikh may have been such an incident,” the home minister said.
Salahuddin said Miraj’s associates had installed a pontoon on a riverbank that was allegedly being used to collect provisions from the sea and supply them to pirates.
After the Coast Guard removed the pontoon, resentment developed over the issue, according to the minister. At one point, the dispute led to an attack and vandalism at the Coast Guard office. Alongside anger over the removal of the pontoon, allegations subsequently emerged that Miraj had been taken away by the Coast Guard, he said.
Referring to the past activities of Miraj and his family, Salahuddin said Miraj and his father had similar records. He added that similar information existed regarding the group opposed to him.
Despite saying that the investigation had found no evidence of security-force involvement, the home minister said the government was prepared to form any neutral and independent commission if necessary to ensure transparency in the investigation.
‘No enforced disappearance in six months’
Addressing the broader human rights situation, Salahuddin claimed that no one had been subjected to enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing or political persecution during the six months since the BNP government assumed office.
He said the government had inherited security forces in a fragile state and was working to restore their morale and professional capacity.
“We inherited a fragile force. The morale of the forces is being strengthened. They are being motivated. As a result, they have reached a certain position today. They are no longer in the condition they were in on day one. We have to work with them. We will bring them up to the expected standard,” he said.
Speakers at the discussion, meanwhile, demanded speedy trials in past cases of enforced disappearance and raised concerns over provisions in the proposed Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Act and the National Human Rights Commission Act.
Liton said ensuring genuinely independent investigations into allegations of enforced disappearance was the most important issue.
He argued that investigations should under no circumstances be placed under the authority of the force accused of involvement in a disappearance.
Instead, investigations should be conducted under the Human Rights Commission, by an independent body outside the police, or through another autonomous mechanism, he said. If necessary, he proposed establishing an independent investigation system similar to an Independent Commission of Inquiry, or ICI.
Liton also rejected arguments that Bangladesh lacked the institutional capacity to conduct independent investigations.
He said the media and independent initiatives had played important roles in investigating major incidents in the past and that independent and impartial investigations into allegations of enforced disappearance could therefore also be ensured.
With questions remaining over the roles of the police and Coast Guard in the Miraj Sheikh case, Liton called for the truth to be established through a transparent and independent investigation.
Dispute over proposed disappearance law
Speaking about the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Act 2026, Salahuddin said forming a commission alone would not solve the problem of enforced disappearances.
“The purpose of the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Act 2026 is to ensure that every victim can go to court and receive justice and redress. The law defines enforced disappearance, the types of offences, penalties and investigation procedures,” he said.
The law also provides mechanisms to ensure that if a victim does not return, their heirs can exercise property rights and support their families, according to the minister.
The proposed legislation contains provisions for compensation for victims. If compensation cannot be recovered from those responsible, the state would be able to provide it, Salahuddin said.
The proposed law also provides for the death penalty as the maximum punishment.
The home minister said anyone with suggestions or proposed amendments could submit them.
He said the legislation had been drafted following discussions with various stakeholders, representatives of the United Nations, diplomatic missions and human rights organisations. Efforts had been made to follow international standards while ensuring that the legislation remained consistent with Bangladesh’s national context, he added.
Salahuddin said the law could be amended in the future if necessary.
Regarding the National Human Rights Commission Act, the minister said the new law had also been prepared after consultations with relevant stakeholders, with the independence and effectiveness of the commission taken into consideration.
Lawmaker Hummam Quader Chowdhury said families of victims of enforced disappearance had previously spent their lives in fear but were now able to observe the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances with dignity.
He said the current government had enacted laws on enforced disappearance and the Human Rights Commission that met international standards.
“There are no loopholes in these laws. The masterminds are in prison. Through proper trials, the culture of enforced disappearance will come to an end forever,” he said.
Lawmaker Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, however, challenged that assessment, alleging that Sections 14, 19 and 21 of the new anti-enforced disappearance law created obstacles to independent investigations.
He called for the provisions to be removed immediately, arguing that they assigned investigative responsibility to the same agencies that could themselves be accused of committing enforced disappearances.
“In other words, if the right hand commits the crime, the left hand will investigate it,” he said.
Arman also questioned a provision concerning punishment for false allegations and called for the disputed sections to be amended or repealed immediately to ensure independent and effective investigations.
Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain said family members of victims of enforced disappearance had faced harassment and deprivation in various forms.
“They were denied job opportunities, their access to education was obstructed. Even their bank accounts were kept under surveillance. They were intimidated when they wanted to speak about human rights,” she said.
Hossain said the two new laws had created an important opportunity ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
As both laws had been sent to the relevant parliamentary standing committees, she said there was now an opportunity to review the demands of victims and their families.
Culture State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam attended the event as a special guest.
Photographer Shahidul Alam, senior officer at the UN Human Rights Office in Bangladesh Zahid Hossain, and Netra News Executive Editor Nazmul Ahsan, among others, also took part in the panel discussion.
Family members of several victims of enforced disappearance were also present.
Alongside the discussion, Mayer Dak organised an exhibition on enforced disappearance at the Nalinikanta Bhattasali Gallery of the National Museum.
Titled “Until They Return,” the exhibition was coordinated by Netra News.
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