Families Demand Justice and Return of Loved Ones After Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh

Families of enforced disappearance victims in Bangladesh gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, demanding the interim government bring back their loved ones and prosecute those responsible for their disappearance. The group, organized by the ‘Mayer Daak’ organization, formed a human chain, holding photographs of their missing relatives, many of whom vanished during the Awami League’s rule since 2009. They called for an end to extrajudicial killings and the dismantling of secret detention centers like ‘Aynaghar,’ where many victims were allegedly tortured and held captive. The families, some of whom have been waiting for years for news of their loved ones, expressed their desperation and demanded swift action from the new government. Notably, Michael Chakma, an organizer of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), was released after five years of detention in ‘Ayna Ghor’ following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. He recounted his ordeal, highlighting the lack of human rights and justice during the previous regime.