The United States has welcomed the efforts of Bangladesh’s interim government to investigate the alleged involvement of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in enforced disappearances.
Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, made the remarks during a daily press briefing on Wednesday.
A journalist asked him about a report published by The New York Times. The report was based on findings from an inquiry commission in Bangladesh investigating enforced disappearances and alleging the involvement of a former prime minister.
In response, Patel said: “We have been deeply troubled by the reports that hundreds of Bangladeshis were forcibly disappeared over the past two decades. Enforced disappearance is an egregious human rights violation that inflicts the trauma of indeterminate detention or disappearance on its victims. It also inflicts the trauma of uncertainty on the families. We welcome efforts by the interim government to investigate these crimes and encourage fair and transparent processes to provide justice for the victims and their family members.”
When asked about Bangladesh's announcement of possible elections in late 2025 or early 2026, Patel added, “We welcome steps that have been taken by this interim government of Bangladesh to prepare for elections that ultimately will allow the Bangladeshi people to choose their own government representatives.”