BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman Breaks Down in Tears Hearing Accounts of Enforced Disappearances

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman broke down in tears on Saturday after listening to emotional accounts from family members of victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during past democratic movements.

Relatives of the victims shared heartbreaking stories of their missing loved ones, pleading for their return. Some spoke of the unbearable hardship of life after losing their husbands, while others collapsed in tears upon meeting Tarique Rahman in person.

The emotional scenes unfolded at a meeting held at the China–Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center in the capital, where families of victims of enforced disappearances, killings, and torture during the previous government’s tenure gathered for an exchange of views.

The event was jointly organized by platforms Mayer Dak and Amra BNP Poribar, and was attended by affected families from different parts of the country.

Shafa, the daughter of a man who was forcibly disappeared during what speakers described as the period of “fascist rule” by the Awami League government, said her father was abducted when she was only two months old. She is now 13.

“I have never seen my father’s face,” she said. “I carried his photograph everywhere, searching for him, but never found any trace. I have no memories of my father. We have repeatedly demanded his return, but he never came back.”

Another victim, Ritul, the son of a disappeared man named Parvez, said his father and his uncle were picked up together by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

“Nearly 12 years have passed and we are now entering the 13th year, yet we have not received any information,” he said. “For 13 years, we have been wandering from place to place looking for answers.”

As the family members narrated their stories and tearful pleas, Tarique Rahman was seen sitting on the stage, openly sobbing.

The victims’ families demanded the return of their missing relatives and called on the government to ensure fair and transparent justice for enforced disappearances carried out during the previous administration.

Many of the attendees expressed a strong desire to personally meet Tarique Rahman and share their suffering with him directly. Some were taken to the stage, where he spent time speaking with them individually and listening to their stories.