It has been 11 long years since BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon from Shaheen Bagh was abducted by men in black uniforms in December 2013. His mother, wife, and two sisters have searched tirelessly, but to no avail. The police refused to take their case, and even inquiries at RAB offices yielded no information.

On Friday, during the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, relatives of the missing demanded strict punishment for every officer involved in these enforced disappearances, holding law enforcement accountable along with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement also called for urgent reforms in law enforcement to prevent such disappearances. Over the 16 years of Sheikh Hasina’s rule, Mayek Daak, a platform for the families of the people who fell victim to enforced disappearance allegedly by government agencies, has documented over 700 cases of missing persons.

When state institutions turned a blind eye

Sumon’s mother Hajera Khatun began holding press conferences, pleading for her son’s return. Her courage inspired other victim families to come forward, transforming Mayek Daak into a support group for those who have lost loved ones to enforced disappearances.

Sanjida Islam, the coordinator of Mayek Daak, said that most of the missing are political opponents of the Awami League.

While a few have resurfaced after Sheikh Hasina’s fall, the majority remain missing. As the Awami League’s tenure neared its end, the state forces continued their actions, with Arif Sohel, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also disappearing.

The student leadership has welcomed Bangladesh’s recent accession to the International Anti-Disappearance Convention. However, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Coordinator Umama Fatema said that, beyond this, there must be urgent reforms in law enforcement.

She urged the interim government to take immediate action to locate and bring back the missing individuals.