Enforced disappearance: Michael Chakma submits written complaint to ICT against Hasina, 8 others

Michael Chakma, leader of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), on Monday morning submitted an written complaint to the tribunal where former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been the prime accused of her enforced disappearance.

Earlier on December 18, he filed an oral complaint against nine, including Sheikh Hasina, to the office of the chief prosecutor. Then the ICT took the allegation into cognizance and started probing.

Mohammad Tajul Islam, Chief Prosecutor of the ICT, said, “The secret prison, widely discussed as a detention facility, is where Michael was reportedly held. He has shared details of his enforced disappearance, the nature of his captivity, and the conditions he endured. His account confirms that he was a victim of systematic enforced disappearances during the tenure of the previous government.

Michael Chakma went missing on April 9, 2019. He was held captive at ‘Aynaghor’, the nickname of the secret detention centre run by the Director General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).

He was active in advocating for the liberation and democratic rights of all ethnic communities across the country, including the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

On August 7, two days after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, he was released blindfolded at a location on the Chittagong-Khagrachari road.