When guards stormed his prison cell one night, Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman thought he was about to be executed. Blindfolded, handcuffed, and held in darkness for eight years, the lawyer had been among the many political opponents disappeared under former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime. But instead of execution, Quasem was dumped in a field and set free—just days after Hasina fled the country during violent protests that ended her 15-year rule.
Quasem’s story is one of hundreds. A national commission, established after interim leader Muhammad Yunus took charge, revealed a systematic program of enforced disappearances targeting opposition figures, many of whom were tortured or killed. The secret detention centre known as the “House of Mirrors” in Dhaka is one of many suspected sites where victims were held.
The commission’s report, backed by the UN, accuses Hasina and senior officials of orchestrating crimes against humanity. The UN estimates more than 1,400 protesters were killed during the protests that toppled her government. Hasina, now in exile in India, denies all charges, labeling them political retribution.
Survivors like Quasem suffer lingering trauma. “It was worse than death,” he says, still adjusting to life and reconnecting with daughters who were toddlers when he vanished. Families of those still missing, like Mashrufa Islam and Sanjida Islam Tulee, continue to seek justice. Their loved ones disappeared without trace, often for merely opposing the government.
While Yunus has vowed justice and reform, victims’ families fear delays and evasions. Many perpetrators remain abroad, and hopes for quick trials are fading. As Bangladesh eyes elections in late 2025, the country faces the challenge of delivering truth and justice for a decade and a half of silenced voices.
Source: Swifteradio.com
