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Newsman, Dhaka

Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman today (April 5) assured the Parliament that the government remains firmly committed to ensuring justice for victims of enforced disappearances and that no perpetrator will be allowed to escape through legal loopholes.

In response to a point of order brought forward by Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, the Member of Parliament for Dhaka-14 and a survivor of enforced disappearance, the Law Minister clarified that the proposal to scrap the current ordinance aims to eliminate legal inconsistencies while securing harsher penalties for those responsible.

The Law Minister highlighted a major inconsistency in legal penalties, observing that while the existing ordinance caps punishment at 10 years, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act classifies enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity, allowing for much sterner sentences such as life in prison or the death penalty.

He emphasized that the victims of disappearance are not just members of individual families but are part of the entire nation, including his own brothers and colleagues, and that any injustice against them is intolerable.

Regarding the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance, Minister Asaduzzaman stated that certain investigation time limits within the current framework could lead to the further harassment of victims.

The Minister gave his word to the House that the government is in the process of refining more rigorous bills, scheduled for introduction in the near future, after exhaustive consultations with stakeholders and those directly affected by these crimes. He cited high-profile cases, such as that of incumbent Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, as evidence of the gravity with which the current administration views these crimes.

Earlier, an emotion-choked Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, also known as Barrister Arman, shared his harrowing experience of being held in a secret detention facility. Recalling the harrowing experience, he spoke of the instant he prepared for his execution by reciting Surah Yasin, only to be saved later by the courageous intervention of a group of young people.

Expressing concern over the recommendation to repeal the ordinance, he questioned how a government led by those who have themselves suffered from torture could suggest repealing a law designed to prevent such atrocities. He urged the House to enact the ordinance first and consider amendments later.

During the session, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, who presided over the sitting, remarked that the Parliament should enact laws so rigorous that no citizen would ever have to face disappearance or extrajudicial killing again.

The Law Minister concluded by stating that the administration would synchronize all relevant laws to establish a solid legal structure, effectively closing any doors for impunity for those involved in disappearances.