M Maroof Zaman (Bengali: এম মারুফ জামান) is a former Bangladeshi diplomat who served as an ambassador of Bangladesh to Qatar and Vietnam.[1] He was a subjected to enforced disappearance and is said to have held captive in ‘Aynaghar’.[2]
M Maroof Zaman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bangladesh |
| Allegiance |  Bangladesh |
| Service |  Bangladesh Army |
| Years of service | 1978–1982 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | Corps of Signals |
| Known for | Forced disappearance (December 2017 – March 2019) |
| Other work | Diplomat |
Career
editZaman was commissioned into the Bangladesh Army in 1977 through the 6th Short Course and served in the Signal Corps, retiring with the rank of captain due to health reasons.[3][4][5] He transitioned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982 and later held key diplomatic positions, including Minister at the Bangladesh High Commission in the UK and Ambassador to Vietnam. As Director General in the Foreign Ministry, he oversaw relations with West Asia, Central Asia, and Africa, before being appointed as Bangladesh's Ambassador to Qatar in 2004.[6][7]
Forced disappearance
editOn December 4, 2017, Zaman disappeared while on his way to the airport to pick up his daughter. Shortly after, he contacted his home from an unknown number, instructing his staff to hand over his laptop to several men who would visit the house. Three men, described as well-built and masked, arrived and conducted a thorough search, taking his spare cellphone, camera, and laptop. Zaman's car was later found abandoned in Khilkhet, and his phone was switched off.[3]
Following his disappearance, Zaman's daughter, Samiha Zaman, filed a General Diary with the Bangladesh Police and campaigned with Mayer Daak, an organization representing families of enforced disappearance victims in Bangladesh.[8][9][10] Several former Bangladeshi ambassadors also expressed concern over his disappearance.[11]
After being missing for 467 days, Zaman returned home on March 16, 2019. Kazi Reazul Hoque, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, welcomed his return and called for accountability.[12] Zaman's family confirmed his return but declined to provide further details, requesting privacy.[13] A 2022 whistleblower investigation by the Sweden-based news portal Netra News suggested that Zaman had been secretly detained at ‘Aynaghar’, a clandestine facility operated by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Qatar keen on hiring more workers". The Daily Star. UNB. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Photo albums are all they have". The Daily Star. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ a b Rabbi, Arifur Rahman (16 March 2019). "Missing former envoy Maroof Zaman returns home after 467 days". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Ex-ambassador Maroof Zaman who went missing 15 months ago returns home". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ Staff, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2001). The London Diplomatic List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 6. ISBN 9780115917721.
- ^ "Maroof new envoy to Qatar". The Daily Star. UNB. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Mysterious disappearances: Families anxiously await those who remain missing". Dhaka Tribune. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Ex-ambassador to Vietnam Maroof goes missing". banglanews24.com. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Victims' kin demand effective steps by govt". The Independent. Dhaka. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Never let go". Dhaka Courier. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Ex-envoys want Maroof Zaman's safe return". The Daily Star. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Ex-ambassador Maroof Zaman returns after 467-day disappearance". New Age. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Missing ex-ambassador Zaman returns home". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Secret prisoners of Dhaka". Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.