Five international and regional organizations have called for an independent and impartial investigation into the 1996 abduction of indigenous leader Kalpana Chakma. In a joint statement released on Thursday, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), Land is Life, Hill Women's Federation (HWF), Network of Indigenous Women Asia (NIWA), and International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) made these demands. Kalpana Chakma, a 23-year-old indigenous rights activist and organizational secretary of the Hill Women's Federation, was allegedly abducted by security forces on June 12, 1996, in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Her whereabouts remain unknown, and the case is still considered an ongoing crime.
The organizations claim that during the abduction, Kalpana's two brothers were also taken but managed to escape and identified at least three suspects. Despite this, no one has been brought to trial. The statement alleges that the investigation was halted without forming charges and that key suspects were not interrogated, allowing them to evade accountability. Kalpana's family has faced harassment and threats for seeking justice.
The organizations argue that Kalpana Chakma's case exemplifies a culture of institutional impunity in Bangladesh, particularly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. They assert that under international human rights law, the Bangladesh government is obligated to conduct a prompt, independent, and effective investigation to bring those responsible to justice. The statement calls on the Bangladesh government to ensure a thorough investigation into Kalpana Chakma's abduction and disappearance and to hold those responsible accountable. It also demands the protection of the safety and rights of indigenous women and girls in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
