Alive or dead, give him back
The only thing that 56-year-old Shamsuddin wants is to get back his son, alive --- or dead at least.
"I am requesting the Prime Minister [Sheikh Hasina] to bring back my son or at least inform us where he is buried so that we can offer prayers at his grave," said Shamsuddin, father of Nizam Uddin Munna, joint convenor of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) of Airport Thana unit.
There was no case against my son, but his fault was that he was involved in the BNP's politics, said the grieving father.
Shamsuddin said his family went to the police to file a general diary after his son went missing on December 6, but the police did not accept any GD for three days.
Like Shamsuddin, several family members of BNP leaders and activists, who were allegedly abducted by law enforcers, took part in an hour-long human chain marking 'International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances'.
The BNP-led-20 party-alliance organised the programme and formed the human chain stretching from Fakirapul to Bijoynagar via Nayapaltan beginning from 11:00am yesterday.
Earlier, the alliance postponed the human chain, scheduled to be held on August 30, as police denied permission for the programme. It, however, held the programme across the country on Saturday.
Sharing their pains and agonies amidst a heart-rending atmosphere, the family members of the victims demanded that the government bring back their loved ones immediately.
In the human chain, Sharmin Sultana, wife of Khalid Hasan Sohel, 79 Ward President of JCD, said, "My husband was involved in politics only. He was not a terrorist. It is regrettable that many top terrorists are moving about freely in society, but a politician like him is now nowhere."
Kaniz Fatema, sister of JCD leader Samrat, said her brother was the sole breadwinner of the family as their father was sick.
"If anyone commits a crime, he has to face trial. But one cannot be abducted for any reason," she said.
BNP leader Illias Ali's son Arnob alleged that 28 months had already passed since his father went missing. "We got assurances everyday from the government but we haven't got back him yet," said Arnob.
Hosne Ara, mother of Bangshal JCD leader Jahirul Islam, said her son had been missing for months. She pleaded with the authorities to get him back.
Marufa Islam, sister of Sajedul Islam Suman, general secretary of BNP Ward 38, urged the government to return her brother or take the initiative to rescue him.
While addressing the human chain, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that 24 of his party men had fallen victim to forced disappearances during the anti-government movement last year in Dhaka city.
The BNP spokesman alleged that the government was using the security forces to repress the opposition.
Speaking on the occasion, BNP Dhaka city unit convener Mirza Abbas claimed that the party had come to know that the government was making a fresh list to have more people disappear.
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