Relatives want victims of 'enforced disappearance' back

Relatives of the persons who have ‘disappeared’ said that they are still waiting for their dear ones to come back.

At a human chain programme organised in front of National Press Club on Friday morning, they urged the authorities to find out the victims.

BNP leader Ilias Ali’s son Abrar Ilias was among the participants of the human chain. He alleged that his father was picked up on 17 April 2012. Four BNP leaders from Sylhet had disappeared within just two weeks at that time.

Abrar said a movement was waged in Sylhet protesting construction of Tipaimukh Dam in India back then.

His father became a victim of enforced disappearance for leading that movement from the front, alleged Abrar.

“We are still waiting for our father as we’ve seen many people return from the jail named 'disappearance' after remaining missing for many years,” Abrar said.

Timber businessman Ismail Hossain’s wife Nasrin Jahan, daughter Anisha Islam and son Enam also joined the human chain.

Ismail ‘disappeared’ on 19 June 2019, they said.

“I wait for my father every day. We want our father back,” said Class IX student Anisha.

Nagorik Oikya’s convenor Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, “It’s the responsibility of government to find out the disappeared people as they are in charge of our protection. But it’s not happening.”

Photographer Shahidul Alam alleged that the government is responsible for all the recent incidents of disappearances.

Former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) Nurul Haque urged the authorities to disclose the whereabouts of disappeared persons immediately.