Bangladesh Faces First Reported Enforced Disappearance Case Since 2024 Uprising

Bangladesh Faces First Reported Enforced Disappearance Case Since 2024 Uprising
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Human Rights Watch has called on Bangladeshi authorities to investigate the alleged disappearance of a fisherman, saying the case highlights concerns over renewed abuses by security forces and the rollback of reforms designed to prevent enforced disappearances.

The case involves 30-year-old Miraj Sheikh, who was reportedly taken into custody by Coast Guard personnel in April 2026 near the Sundarbans region. Witnesses said officers detained him and transported him by boat, but the Coast Guard later denied holding him. After his family filed a petition, Bangladesh’s High Court on July 12 ordered authorities to locate Sheikh and present him before the court.

The incident is believed to be the first known enforced disappearance case reported since the 2024 uprising that led to the fall of the previous government. Human Rights Watch said thousands of people were subjected to enforced disappearances during the former administration, with a government commission documenting more than 1,500 cases between 2009 and 2024.

Rights groups have criticized the newly elected government for allowing previous human rights protection measures to expire. Reforms introduced by the interim government had granted the National Human Rights Commission greater powers to investigate alleged abuses by security forces, but proposed replacement legislation would limit the commission’s authority.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to restore independent oversight mechanisms, warning that allowing security agencies to investigate allegations against themselves would not provide accountability. The organization said stronger legal safeguards and institutional reforms are needed to prevent enforced disappearances from recurring.