It was in December 2010 that the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated August 30 as the International Day of the Victtims of Enforced Disappearances, in order to express its deep concern about the increase in enforced disappearances across the world, as well as harassment, ill-treatment and intimidation of witnesses of disappearances or relatives of persons who have disappeared. Though there has been  widespread allegations of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh, particularly  from the second term of the current Awami League government, no credible and independent investigation has been carried out into any of the alleged incidents.  First came wholesale denial of the allegations; then began the ridiculing of accusers. And presently, authorities - in their desperate attempt  to suppress the facts - have resorted to intimidating anyone who dares to speak up The result, however, is a hugely varied number of disappeared persons being referred to by human r...