Tenure of inquiry commission on enforced disappearance extended

The interim government has extended the tenure of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances until June 30, 2025.

The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification on Monday (March 17) stating that it took effect retroactively from 15 March.

The order, signed by Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, was issued in line with the president's directive.

This follows a previous three-month extension granted on December 15.

The five-member commission, led by Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, was formed on September 15 last year to investigate cases of enforced disappearances allegedly committed by law enforcement agencies between January 1, 2010 and August 5, 2024.

Its members include Justice Farid Ahmed Shibli, human rights activists Nur Khan and Sazzad Hossain, and BRAC University teacher Nabila Idris.

The commission has reported that enforced disappearances were systematically carried out over the past 15 years under the Awami League government.

It has identified the involvement of multiple security agencies, including the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch (DB), Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the police.

According to the commission, interrogations of security personnel linked to these cases are ongoing.

The commission was working to identify the victims, ascertain the circumstances of their disappearances, and collect relevant information from their families, as well as from any individuals, agencies, or organisations involved.