According to the report, military officers formerly serving in RAB described a horrifying “standard procedure” for executions: victims were shot in the head, their bodies tied with cement bags, and dumped into rivers to ensure they would sink.

In a grim interim report unveiled by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, a stark reality emerges: most victims of enforced disappearances in the country meet one of two fates — execution or being framed in fabricated charges. Released on Sunday by the Chief Adviser’s office, the report sheds light on the harrowing methods used by security forces, particularly the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in what appears to be a systematic campaign of abductions and extrajudicial killings.

The findings, detailed in a report titled Unfolding the Truth, paint a picture of a deeply entrenched machinery of oppression. The commission’s chairman, retired Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, and his team have compiled over 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances, with 758 already scrutinized. The commission estimates the total number could exceed 3,500.

A Chilling Standard Procedure

According to the report, military officers formerly serving in RAB described a horrifying “standard procedure” for executions: victims were shot in the head, their bodies tied with cement bags, and dumped into rivers to ensure they would sink. Specific disposal sites, including the Buriganga River, Shitalakkhya River (near Kanchan Bridge), and Postagola Bridge, have been identified as frequent locations for such operations. A confiscated boat from the Sundarbans, modified for these gruesome tasks, was stationed near Postagola Bridge.

The report recounts the initiation of one RAB battalion commander, during which he witnessed two executions conducted on a bridge under the supervision of the head of RAB intelligence. Another soldier narrated an incident where a victim, attempting to escape by jumping into a river, was immediately recaptured and executed on the spot. Such accounts, supported by what the commission calls “some verified reports detailing methods of execution,” offer a chilling glimpse into the brutality of these operations.

High-Level Involvement

The commission’s findings implicate senior figures in the deposed government, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and high-ranking security officials. Among those named are Major-General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, who served as Hasina’s defense adviser, as well as Major-General (retired) Ziaul Ahsan, the former director-general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, and senior police officers Monirul Islam and Md. Harun-Or-Rashid.

Justice Chowdhury stated that the commission uncovered a “systematic design” intended to obscure the traces of these disappearances. Operations were deliberately segmented, and individuals involved in abductions, killings, or disposals often had no knowledge of the victims, ensuring layers of plausible deniability.

A Call for Accountability

One of the most striking recommendations in the interim report is the disbandment of RAB, the elite force that has been at the center of many of these allegations. The commission’s chairman described RAB’s role as emblematic of a larger pattern of impunity and systemic abuse, arguing that its dissolution is a necessary step toward restoring accountability.

Beyond RAB, the report emphasizes the need for comprehensive reform within the security forces and stronger mechanisms for oversight and transparency. The commission’s findings suggest that enforced disappearances were not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated strategy to silence dissent and consolidate power.

Human Cost and the Way Forward

For the families of the disappeared, the interim report is both a validation of their long-standing allegations and a reminder of the daunting road ahead. Many have spent years searching for answers, filing complaints, and enduring threats. The commission’s decision to withhold certain details in its interim findings, citing the need to protect the integrity of ongoing inquiries, has left some relatives anxious for closure.

The Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has pledged full support to the commission’s efforts, recognizing the importance of their work in uncovering the truth. “You are doing a really very important job. We are ready to give you all kinds of support that you need,” Yunus assured the commission during the report’s submission at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka.

Despite this promise, the road to justice remains fraught with challenges. The commission’s work is far from over, with another interim report expected in March and a full accounting anticipated to take at least another year. Meanwhile, survivors and victims’ families face the dual burden of processing their loss and advocating for systemic change.

A Global Concern

The revelations in the interim report resonate far beyond the country’s borders. Enforced disappearances are recognized internationally as a grave violation of human rights, often constituting crimes against humanity. The methods detailed in the report — including abduction, detention, torture, and elimination — mirror practices seen in other regimes accused of similar abuses.

International human rights organizations have long called for greater accountability and transparency in addressing enforced disappearances in the country. The commission’s findings, particularly its recommendations to dismantle RAB and implicate high-ranking officials, could provide a critical impetus for renewed global attention and advocacy.

Voices of the Voiceless

As the commission continues its work, the stories of the disappeared — and those they left behind — must remain at the forefront. The interim report’s stark language and unflinching accounts serve as a reminder of the human cost of state-sanctioned violence. Behind every statistic is a name, a face, a family torn apart.

For the country to move forward, the culture of impunity must end. Justice Chowdhury’s call for a “comprehensive account” of these atrocities underscores the need for truth and reconciliation. Only by confronting the full extent of these abuses can the nation begin to heal and ensure that such violations are never repeated.

In the words of one survivor’s family member: “We don’t want revenge. We just want to know the truth. We want to know why our loved ones were taken and who gave the orders. Only then can we have peace.”

The commission’s interim findings are a crucial first step in that direction. Yet, they also lay bare the enormity of the task ahead — one that demands unwavering commitment from both the nation and the international community to hold those responsible to account and ensure justice for the countless lives lost in silence.