Dhaka: Forced disappearances and killings cannot be stopped otherwise the nation accept existence of such offences and take steps against such crimes, observed Transparency International Bangladesh Trustee Board chairperson Sultana Kamal.

She on Sunday came up with the remarks while addressing journalists at a human rights conference organised by BRAC Centre for Development Management at Savar in Dhaka.

She also said, ‘It’s very unfortunate that a practice of denial is prevailing among the state. They want to say these incidents are not occurring inside the country.’

Sultana Kamal, also the executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra, said, ‘If we want to prevent a crime and to take initiatives to solve it, we have to acknowledge the presence of the crime first. We hope the state or the government will take responsibility of these incidents in future and these incidents must be stop, as human rights organisations and activists will continue demand for stopping these incidents, and people will be more conscious.’

AoS deputy director Sanaiya Ansari and senior deputy director Gita Chakrabarty, among others, were present in the human rights conference. A total of 250 human rights activists from 16 districts of Bangladesh took part in the three-day conference.