In a landmark development, a technical delegation from the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has arrived in Dhaka for the first time, marking a significant chapter in Bangladesh’s history of enforced disappearances.
The two-member team landed in the capital on Sunday (15 June) for a four-day fact-finding and observation mission. During the visit, they are scheduled to meet government officials, law enforcement representatives, legal experts, policymakers, and families of victims of alleged enforced disappearances.
The visiting delegates are WGEID Vice-Chair Grażyna Baranowska and member Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez. The mission will conclude on 18 June.
Although this is not an investigative visit, the delegation is expected to gather information and insights into Bangladesh’s human rights practices. This marks a breakthrough, as the UN group had repeatedly requested permission to visit Bangladesh since 2013 but was denied access under previous administrations.
The visit comes amid growing international scrutiny over Bangladesh’s human rights record, including US visa restrictions and EU conditional engagement policies. While the government has consistently denied allegations of enforced disappearances, claiming many individuals went into hiding or joined militant groups, human rights organisations continue to highlight the issue globally.
For families of victims, this visit offers a rare opportunity to raise their voices before the international community—though there remains concern that the trip might result in little more than symbolic diplomacy unless followed by meaningful actions.
LND/SAE
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