A shocking report reveals the use of mobile surveillance by Bangladesh's security forces in enforced disappearances during Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
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| A chilling report reveals how mobile phone surveillance was exploited by the previous Bangladeshi government to track and abduct citizens, highlighting the urgent need for reforms to protect privacy and human rights. Image Courtesy: BSS |
Dhaka, Bangladesh - December 22, 2024:
The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance in Bangladesh has revealed the extensive use of mobile phone surveillance technology in tracking victims' locations during enforced disappearances under the former regime of Sheikh Hasina. The findings, detailed in the report titled *"Unfolding the Truth,"* were presented to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus by the five-member commission led by retired Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury.
The report highlights how the now-defunct National Monitoring Centre (NMC), housed within the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), played a critical role in enabling "silent pick-ups" — unobtrusive abductions of targeted individuals. Mobile surveillance allowed security forces, including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Detective Branch (DB), to precisely pinpoint victims' locations.
“Interviews with victims and Armed Forces personnel confirm that mobile technology was integral to the surveillance process. Such abductions would have been impossible without this precise tracking capability,” the report stated.
The Commission's findings point to significant coordination among Bangladesh’s security forces during these operations. Dedicated surveillance consoles were manned by rotating personnel from multiple agencies, all operating under the DGFI's logistical support framework. The surveillance activities later transitioned to the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), an independent agency, but some capabilities reportedly remain within individual forces.
A former DGFI director-general confirmed to the Commission that his agency provided logistics for surveillance operations conducted by other law enforcement bodies.
The report also criticized the lack of judicial oversight over these surveillance activities, which has raised concerns about their legality and misuse. “Despite the absence of oversight, several victims noted signs of surveillance before their abductions,” the report noted.
One victim disclosed that his captors referenced private phone conversations, indicating prior monitoring. Others recounted receiving suspicious, silent phone calls before being abducted. In one case, security forces reportedly identified and detained an individual after making a targeted call to a phone in a group. The victim was never seen again.
The findings implicate the DGFI and other agencies in human rights violations, suggesting that enforced disappearances were a systematic effort supported by advanced surveillance technologies. The Commission emphasized the need for further investigation into current surveillance practices, particularly regarding their potential continuation under different authorities.
This report is expected to intensify scrutiny of Bangladesh's intelligence and security apparatus, with calls for transparency, judicial accountability, and safeguarding citizens' rights in the wake of these revelations.