Return missing people to their families: Fakhrul to govt

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam AlamgirUNB file photo

The BNP leader said the children of the victims of the enforced disappearance still wait for the return of their fathers.

“You’ve heard the cries of the children of the victims. You (govt) say there is no such incident (forced disappearances) here. If so, where did they go? It’s your responsibility to trace them and give them back to their families one by one. You must do it. Otherwise, you’ll be tried in people's court.”

BNP’s human rights cell arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, marking the “International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances”.

Fakhrul also bemoaned that Bangladesh has now become such a country where even the children would go missing, but no one would find any trace of them. “Law enforcers pick them up, but the government don’t give any answer to it. We can't hold back our tears seeing the pain and agony and the helplessness of the relatives of the victims,” he said.

Expressing solidarity with the distressed family members, the BNP leader called upon the government to return the missing people to their parents, children, wives and brothers and sisters.

Fakhrul urged the people of all walks of life to be vocal to stop the culture of enforced disappearance and get rid of such a crime against humanity.

He alleged that the current government is “destroying” the entire nation just to hang onto power “illegally”. "It has destroyed our constitution, our democratic rights and economy, and politicised the entire administration.”