Bangladesh Signs UN Treaty on Enforced Disappearances – Source: the Daily Star published on 29 August 2024

On 29 August 2024, Bangladesh signed the instrument of accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (“ICPED”). The signing, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, occurred during the weekly meeting of the interim government’s advisory council, where it was met with applause from the council members. ICPED is a human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006. It aims to prevent and address the global issue of enforced disappearances, where individuals are secretly abducted or detained by state agents or affiliated groups without acknowledgment, often leading to torture or extrajudicial killings. ICPED establishes a legal framework to protect victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure the right to truth and reparations for the families of the disappeared. It also prohibits enforced disappearances as a crime against humanity and encourages international cooperation in combating this practice. The treaty entered into force in 2010.