Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary to the chief adviser, said that individuals involved in enforced disappearances will not be allowed to return to politics.
Speaking at a discussion titled “Testimonies of Disappearances and Resistance of Memories” held at the main auditorium of the National Museum in Shahbagh on Friday, he emphasized that those responsible for enforced disappearances have not escaped accountability anywhere in the world and will not in Bangladesh either.
He pledged that justice would be ensured for everyone on Bangladeshi soil, and the struggles against disappearances would be remembered in history.
He encouraged those fighting against enforced disappearances not to give up, saying: “The walls of the country will bear their stories.”
Shafiqul Alam criticized the previous regime led by Sheikh Hasina, describing it as a “murder enterprise” and claiming enforced disappearances were used to suppress dissent.
He added: “The fight against this began with the brave initiative of grieving mothers, who deserve the Freedom Award for their courage.”
Highlighting the government's efforts, he said: “We have formed a commission to ensure justice for everyone. The commission estimates the number of enforced disappearances to be between 3,000 and 3,500. The primary objective of these disappearances was to silence criticism against Sheikh Hasina and create a culture of fear. Subsequently, her associates misused the practice for personal gains.”
Tahsina Rushdir, wife of missing political leader M Ilias Ali, recounted her experiences and expressed disappointment over the lack of cooperation from law enforcement.
She claimed that Sheikh Hasina had assured her of her husband’s return but later realized it was merely a ploy.
She urged for the enactment of a law against enforced disappearances, modeled after international standards, to ensure justice.
