Rights group demands immediate court production of missing Bagerhat fisherman allegedly held by Coast Guard

Human rights organizations and the family of Miraj Sheikh, a fisherman and motorcycle taxi driver from Joymoni in the Mongla Upazila of Bagerhat, have demanded his immediate recovery and production before the High Court. Sheikh has been missing since April 10, following allegations that he was abducted by individuals identifying themselves as members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard.

The demand was issued on Monday during a press conference held at the Zahir Hossain Chowdhury Auditorium of the National Press Club in Dhaka. The event was jointly organized by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), and the victim’s family. HRSS Executive Director Ejazul Islam presented a written statement detailing the four-month-long struggle to locate the 30-year-old missing man.

According to HRSS, testimony from family members indicates that following the abduction, a Coast Guard official at the Mongla pontoon station admitted that Sheikh was in their custody and assured the family he would be released or charged within three days. However, the official stance shifted abruptly. When Sheikh’s wife visited the Digraj Coast Guard base camp on April 11, a member named Ukasing claimed Sheikh had been taken on an operation, but by that afternoon, another member named Shahin denied the detention entirely.

Despite a High Court order issued on July 12 requiring authorities to produce Sheikh in court within 15 working days, the Coast Guard continues to deny holding him. The family reports that they have faced significant harassment in their search for justice, including a police case filed against 44 named individuals and approximately 300 unidentified persons following a protest where family members were reportedly subjected to force.

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Noor Khan Liton, Chief Advisor to HRSS, stated that witnesses in Joymoni are now living in fear, with many refusing to speak due to alleged threats. “We are collecting digital evidence and intend to engage directly with the Coast Guard,” Liton said.

BLAST legal director Barkat Ali emphasized that if Sheikh is accused of any wrongdoing, he must be processed through the legal system rather than held in extrajudicial detention. Sheikh’s wife, Mukta Khatun, reaffirmed her account of the abduction, stating she personally witnessed her husband being forced into a boat by individuals in civilian clothes before being transferred to a marked Bangladesh Coast Guard speedboat.

The coalition of organizations has called for a transparent, independent investigation into the conduct of the Coast Guard members involved, the immediate implementation of the High Court’s directive, and the protection of witnesses and family members. They further urged for mandatory training for law enforcement regarding arrest protocols and the empowerment of the National Human Rights Commission to conduct independent probes into cases of enforced disappearance.