Bangladesh Investigation Uncovers Secret Detention of Children

An investigation into enforced disappearances during the regime of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has revealed that several children were among the hundreds detained in clandestine facilities in Bangladesh, The International News reported.

According to a preliminary report from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, at least six children spent months in these secret jails alongside their mothers. Disturbingly, some infants were reportedly used as leverage during interrogations, with access to milk being denied.

Following her ousting in August 2024 by a student-led uprising, Hasina, now 77, has fled to her longtime ally India. She faces arrest warrants, including charges of crimes against humanity. Her administration has been accused of severe human rights violations, including the extrajudicial killings of political adversaries and the unlawful abduction and disappearance of many others. The commission noted numerous verified instances where women were abducted along with their children, with some cases occurring as recently as 2023.