New directorate being formed for victims of enforced disappearance, murder, torture

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has taken an initiative to form a new directorate under it for the welfare, proper treatment, legal protection and rehabilitation of victims of enforced disappearance, murder, torture and extrajudicial killings, and their affected families.

An inter-ministerial meeting was held at the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs to this end, presided over by Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan and attended by State Minister Ishraque Hossain and ministry Secretary Md Ashraful Islam, according to a press release issued by the ministry on Sunday (August 23).

Ahmed Azam Khan, Liberation War Affairs Minister, said state recognition has already been given to those affected in the July mass uprising, for whom a "July Mass Uprising Directorate" has been formed. He said a similar initiative has now been taken to give state recognition to those who made sacrifices through prolonged movements and struggles to restore democracy.

He said the state wants to formally recognize the sacrifices of those who were subjected to enforced disappearance, brutally killed or extrajudicially murdered without ever returning to their families, as well as those who lost their eyesight, were left disabled, or spent years in prison after being rendered destitute by hundreds of false cases.

The minister said the initiative to grant state recognition and form the new directorate aims to build permanent resistance so that no fascist force can strip away people's democratic rights in future, and so that no parent, spouse or child has to lose a loved one to such brutality again.

Ishraque Hossain, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs, said the core spirit of the great Liberation War of 1971 was to ensure people's freedom to live independently, protect human rights, end state use of force, and establish a democratic system of governance through direct voting rights.

He alleged that since 2009, that fundamental ideal of the Liberation War has been trampled upon through the denial of voting rights and through enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings carried out under state patronage.

Ishraque Hossain said the state has a responsibility toward those who lost their lives, were subjected to torture, were forcibly disappeared, or were left financially destitute while striving to uphold the ideals of the Liberation War.