Several children were among the hundreds detained in secret centres in Bangladesh, revealed a commission investigating enforced disappearances during the now-deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, reports TRTWORLD.
At least six children were held for months in secret jails with their mothers, according to a preliminary report by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. The report revealed that babies were used as leverage during interrogations, even being denied milk.
The commission said it reported multiple verified cases of women disappearing with their children, including incidents as recent as 2023.
The report highlighted a case where a pregnant woman, held with her two young children, was beaten in a detention centre."This was not an isolated case," said the report. The commission reported that a witness directed investigators to the room in a detention site, where she (then as a child) and her mother were held by the notorious Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). "Her mother never returned," the report read.
In another case, a couple and their baby were detained, and the child was deprived of mother`s milk ‘as psychological torture’ to pressure the father.
While in power, Hasina`s government denied allegations of enforced disappearances, claiming some of the reported missing had drowned in the Mediterranean while attempting to reach Europe.
The commission says around 200 Bangladeshis abducted by security forces are still missing.
Committee member Sazzad Hossain said that while some victims couldn`t identify the specific officers who tortured them, their testimonies would help identify the responsible forces. "In such cases, we will recommend holding the commander accountable," Hossain said.
"The effects on the victims` families have been multifaceted, ranging from severe psychological trauma to legal and financial challenges," the report added.
Dhaka has issued arrest warrants against Hasina, including charges of crimes against humanity. She fled to India on August 5, 2024, after being overthrown in a student-led revolution.
Hasina`s government faced accusations of severe human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killings of hundreds of political opponents and the abduction and disappearance of many others.
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