On International Human Rights Day, families of victims of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, the Shapla Chattar incident, the Pilkhana massacre, and the July uprising gathered at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka for a rally yesterday.
The event, organized by "Mayer Dak," an association representing the families of victims of enforced disappearances, brought together relatives of the victims, United Nations representatives, local and international human rights activists, and leaders from various political parties and organizations.
Participants held photos and placards of their missing loved ones. Survivors of the July uprising, including individuals who had lost their eyesight or limbs, also attended the gathering.
Speakers at the rally highlighted the anguish and uncertainty faced by families still unaware of the fate of their loved ones. They demanded justice, transparency, and information regarding the victims’ conditions and locations.
Justice first, then elections
Leaders and activists from Mayer Dak called on the interim government to prioritize prosecuting those responsible for human rights violations under the "fascist Hasina government" before considering the National Parliament Election.
Speakers accused the ruling Awami League of committing crimes against humanity, suppressing fundamental rights, and using violence to retain power. They criticized attempts to rehabilitate the Hasina regime and stressed the need for legal action to hold perpetrators accountable before planning the next election.
Advisor Nahid Islam assured the crowd that justice would be delivered under the interim government. He stated, “The Awami League and Sheikh Hasina have violated human rights through fascist policies. Such anti-humanitarian groups must be punished. These atrocities—disappearances, murders, and oppression—have persisted throughout their rule. Sheikh Hasina has always had bloodstains on her hands, just like her father.”
Jatiya Nagorik Committee convener Nasiruddin Patwari echoed this sentiment, declaring, “We demand justice first, then elections. Justice must precede politics.”
On behalf of BNP’s acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Ishraq Hasan read a written statement demanding a fair trial for Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League. The statement accused Hasina of violating human rights and UN regulations over the past 15 years, committing crimes such as enforced disappearances, murders, and imprisonments targeting politicians, journalists, and workers.
The rally featured prominent figures, including BNP leaders Moin Khan and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mia Golam Parwar, human rights activist Nur Khan, Gonoshonghoti Andolon chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, AB Party member secretary Mujibur Rahman Monju, and anti-discrimination student leaders Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam. Jatiya Nagorik Committee members Nasiruddin Patwari and Akhtar Hossain also participated, alongside Huma Khan, senior human rights adviser at the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Bangladesh.
Hazera Khatun, founder of Mayer Dak, addressed the gathering, reiterating the families’ pleas for justice and truth.
Speakers urged authorities to provide information about missing individuals and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.