Bangladesh Probes Up to 6,000 Enforced Disappearances Under Sheikh Hasina

As many as 6,000 people vanished into thin air under a decade of iron-fisted rule. Bangladesh has revealed that enforced disappearance cases connected to ousted leader Sheikh Hasina could reach staggering numbers, far exceeding previous estimates. A new report released on January 5, 2026, highlights the systematic use of state apparatus to silence political dissent during her tenure.

The Scale of Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh Enforced Disappearances

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances stated that 1,913 complaints were filed, with 1,569 verified as actual disappearances. However, commission member Nabila Idris warned that the true figure likely sits between 4,000 and 6,000. Many victims' families haven't come forward due to fear of reprisal or because they've fled the country.

The report indicates a clear "primarily political motive." Among those who returned alive, 75% were members of Jamaat-e-Islami, while 22% belonged to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Evidence points directly toward Hasina, her defense adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal as the architects of these abductions.

A Nation Mourning and Seeking Justice

This revelation comes as Bangladesh navigates a volatile transition. Sheikh Hasina was already sentenced to death in absentia in November 2024 for her role in the crackdown on protesters. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus described the inquiry's findings as a "historic" documentation of how democracy was dismantled to facilitate atrocity.

With the recent death of Khaleda Zia, the longtime rival of Hasina, the country faces a leadership vacuum. All eyes are now on her son, Tarique Rahman, and whether he can steer the nation toward reconciliation while ensuring those responsible for the disappearances face accountability.