Even after the fall of the Awami League government, there is “no reason for satisfaction,” according to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. He stated that many conspiracies are still ongoing. Conspiracies are not lacking both domestically and internationally. If given the opportunity, the conspirators will strike against those who desire freedom. Therefore, unity must be further strengthened.
Mirza Fakhrul made these remarks while presiding over a solidarity rally organized by the BNP in front of the party’s central office at Naya Paltan in Dhaka this Friday afternoon. The rally was held to mark International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
During the event, Mirza Fakhrul urged the interim government to arrange stipends for the families of the victims of enforced disappearances. He said, “Many families are struggling to survive. It is the state’s responsibility to support them.”
Referring to the Awami League government’s actions, Fakhrul alleged that they have committed heinous crimes against humanity using state machinery. He mentioned that for the first time in Bangladesh, a team from the United Nations has come to investigate the atrocities committed by the authoritarian regime. They will investigate the killings that occurred over the past two months. He called on the interim government to ensure that this investigation team also looks into all crimes against humanity, including torture, repression, and enforced disappearances from 2009 onwards.
Mirza Fakhrul also expressed hope that the interim government would swiftly transition back to democracy and initiate necessary reforms.
Relatives of the victims of enforced disappearances also spoke at the rally. Tahsina Rushdi, the wife of missing BNP leader Ilias Ali, recounted how she had met with Sheikh Hasina in an attempt to find her husband. Hasina had assured her, but she now believes it was all an act.
Expressing her ongoing anguish over not finding her husband, Tahsina Rushdi said she could not fully enjoy the freedom of independence. She voiced frustration that Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who was dismissed from the army and implicated in enforced disappearances, had not been interrogated at the Detective Branch (DB) office of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Sanjida Islam, the sister of missing BNP leader Sajeedul Islam Sumon, said her brother was involved in BNP politics, which is not a crime that should lead to enforced disappearance. She called for every “torture cell” in the country to be opened up, stating that they want to know if her brother and others who were disappeared are still alive. She also demanded that everyone involved in these incidents be brought to justice.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury stated that Sheikh Hasina is the mastermind behind the “disappearance project.” He called for those who led, assisted, and supported this project to be brought before the people and held accountable.
Another BNP Standing Committee member, Salahuddin Ahmed, labeled former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed and former army officer Ziaul Ahsan as the main “villains” behind the “torture cells.” He noted that while some individuals involved in the disappearances have been removed from their positions, they are still roaming free. He insisted that they also must be brought under the law and held accountable.
Salahuddin Ahmed also remarked that the interim government will not achieve anything significant while harboring “ghosts in the mustard seed,” implying internal conspiracies and malpractices.
