Concerns Continue Over Missing Bangladeshi Fisherman and Weakening of Enforced Disappearance Reforms
- Human Rights Research Center
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Author: Aamnah Fatima Khan
July 22, 2026
HRRC strongly condemns the alleged enforced disappearance of Miraj Sheikh and the continued failure of Bangladeshi authorities to establish his whereabouts. We call for an immediate, independent investigation, full accountability for those responsible, and the restoration of effective safeguards against abuses by security forces.
![Bangladesh military and Rapid Action Battalion personnel stand guard outside the Supreme Court in Dhaka, February 8, 2025. [Image credit: Suvra Kanti Das/Abaca/Sipa via AP Photo ]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f05ed1_a4c7cbf08f454efd811fefaf43e2d96f~mv2.avif/v1/fill/w_142,h_95,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/f05ed1_a4c7cbf08f454efd811fefaf43e2d96f~mv2.avif)
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has revived attention this week to an unresolved disappearance case of a Bangladeshi fisherman, Miraj Sheikh. HRW urged the Bangladeshi authorities to comply urgently with the High Court decision made on July 12th to locate him and produce him before the court.
Although Miraj’s disappearance occurred more than three months ago, HRW said the case remains highly relevant because it may be Bangladesh’s first known enforced disappearance since the 2024 uprising that ended former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's rule.
Miraj was allegedly detained by Bangladeshi Coast Guard personnel on April 10th, near the Sundarbans in Mongla, and taken away in a speedboat. His wife claims that she saw him at a Coast Guard pontoon surrounded by uniformed and plain-clothed personnel before he was taken towards another Coast Guard facility.
The following day, officers reportedly told his family that Miraj was “on an operation,” but later denied that he had ever been in their custody. Since then, the Coast Guard continues to deny his detention and claim it has no information about his whereabouts. After the family’s complaints, letters and public appeals failed to produce answers, Miraj’s father filed a habeas corpus petition which led to the High Court’s order.
HRW warned that the case is a major test for the newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party government, which promised reform after years of abuses under the previous administration. A government commission documented 1,569 enforced disappearances between 2009 and 2024, with at least 252 victims never returning.
HRW also criticized the government for allowing reforms supporting independent investigations and detention center inspections to expire. The organization called for a transparent investigation, disclosure of Mirah's whereabouts and restoration of the Human Rights Commission’s authority to investigate security forces independently.
Glossary
Alleged – accused but not proven or convicted.
Comply – to act according to an order, set of rules, or request.
Disclosure – the act of making something known or the fact that is made known.
Enforced disappearance – An enforced disappearance is considered to be the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person.
Expire – to come to an end.
Habeas Corpus – Habeas corpus is a legal principle that safeguards individuals from unlawful imprisonment, allowing them to challenge the legality of their detention.
High Court – the highest principal court of law in a state, province, or territory, operating immediately below the national Supreme Court.
Petition – a formal written request made to an authority or organized body (such as a court)
Pontoon – a flat-bottomed boat or portable float used in building a floating temporary bridge.
Whereabouts – the place or general locality where a person or thing is.
References
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/crime-justice/news/investigate-miraj-sheikhs-disappearance-4228726