Bangladesh, Oct. 25 -- It is one of those stories that make both lawyers and laymen pause: a group of former army officers, once declared “forcibly disappeared” during Sheikh Hasinas tenure, have now reappeared — very much alive, vocal, and, curiously, litigious. They have filed cases claiming to be victims of “enforced disappearance.” It would almost be tragic if it werent so absurd. How can someone file a case for being a ghost when he is physically present in court, breathing, blinking, and demanding justice?

The legal irony here is thick. Enforced disappearance, as defined in international law, presupposes that a person is taken by the state or its agents and subsequently denied recognition of his detent...