Trial of enforced disappearances, crimes against humanity on govt priority list: Asif Nazrul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul today said enforced disappearances, killings and crimes against humanity remain of the interim government’s priority list.

“Ensuring justice of the heinous crimes and brutality took place during the fascist Sheikh Hasina’s regime are also in the present government’s priority list aimed at stopping recurrence of the crimes,” he added.

The adviser said these while presiding over a view-exchange meeting organized by the Law and Justice Division on the proposed 'Disappearance Prevention and Remedies Ordinance, 2025'. The meeting was held at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital.

Stating that enforced disappearances have been a painful memory in our national life, especially during the last 15 years, the adviser said, "During the July uprising, an opportunity has been created to build a new Bangladesh through the immense sacrifice of our young students."

He said Bangladesh has officially ratified the ‘International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED)’ since the country does not have any dedicated law to deal with the cases of enforced disappearances.

"Although our international criminal law considers widespread and systematic enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity, but there is no separate definition of enforced disappearance or explanation of its punishment outside of this or in other cases," he said.

On the issue of Enforced Disappearances Commission, he said, the commission has been working relentlessly to this end and they will submit their report very soon.

Regarding reforms, he said the government wants legal and institutional reforms so that none could dare to commit such types of heinous crimes in future.