On Wednesday, a court in Bangladesh remanded 15 senior army officers, facing accusations of enforced disappearances and atrocities linked to the 2024 uprising that led to the government’s fall.
This marks the first instance of formal charges for enforced disappearances in Bangladesh, and it’s unprecedented for so many high-ranking military officials to be tried in a civilian court.
The accused, including five generals, allegedly operated a secret detention center during the rule of the now-deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
All served in Bangladeshi military intelligence or the notorious paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The army pledged to support the judicial process, though tension has simmered since arrest warrants were issued earlier this month.
“They have committed to upholding the law and respecting the judicial process,” chief prosecutor Tajul Islam stated to reporters.
“Their cooperation has been evident,” he added.
On October 15, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk praised the court proceedings as a crucial step toward accountability.
“This is a pivotal moment for victims and their families,” Turk remarked.
The officers arrived at court in a prison van, under heavy police protection.
Bangladesh is pursuing charges against former senior figures connected to Hasina—now a fugitive in India—and her banned Awami League party.
According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people died in clashes between July and August 2024, as security forces suppressed anti-government protests.
Under Hasina’s leadership, RAB was responsible for numerous killings and was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021.
Hasina, 78, fled to New Delhi last year, defying court orders to attend her trial for crimes against humanity related to the crackdown.
Her trial in absentia is nearing its conclusion, with her state-appointed defense presenting closing arguments. The prosecution has sought the death penalty.
Hasina’s Awami League asserts that she “categorically” denies the charges.
