A recent report by Bangladesh’s Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has revealed that several children were among the hundreds of people held in secret detention centers during the time of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule. The report, released on Tuesday, details how at least six children were imprisoned in black-site jails for months, often with their mothers. Disturbingly, babies were reportedly used as leverage during interrogations, including being denied milk to pressure their parents.
Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 following a student-led revolution, is facing arrest warrants, including charges of crimes against humanity. She has been accused of widespread human rights violations during her tenure, including extrajudicial killings of political opponents and the forced abduction and disappearance of hundreds of individuals.
The commission’s report notes numerous instances of women being forcibly disappeared with their children, with some cases continuing as recently as 2023. One particularly alarming case involved a pregnant woman and her two young children, who were beaten while detained. “This was not an isolated case,” the report emphasized.
One witness recounted her time in a detention facility run by the notorious Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), where she was held as a child with her mother. “Her mother never returned,” the report stated.
In another account, a couple and their baby were detained, and the child was intentionally deprived of the mother’s milk as a form of psychological torture to pressure the father.
Hasina’s government had denied any involvement in enforced disappearances, suggesting that some missing persons had drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. However, the commission has confirmed that around 200 Bangladeshis remain missing after being abducted by security forces.
Sazzad Hossain, a member of the commission, stated that while some victims could not identify the specific officers involved in their torture, their testimonies would help pinpoint the forces responsible. “In such cases, we will recommend holding the commander accountable,” Hossain explained.
The report also highlights the deep psychological trauma and financial hardships faced by the victims’ families, reflecting the far-reaching consequences of these abuses.
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