The leaders and activists of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, formed a human chain at Islamic University (IU) on Saturday, demanding answers in the decade-long disappearance of two student leaders, Waliullah and Mukaddas, who were abducted in 2012.
The demonstration was held in front of the university’s administrative building around 1:30pm, drawing students, activists, and family members of the missing leaders.
Participants held placards and chanted slogans calling for justice, emphasizing that despite the fall of the previous Awami League-led government on August 5 last year, their demands remain unmet. "Even after the end of the so-called fascist regime, Waliullah and Mukaddas are still missing," said one of the organisers.
"We demand their safe return—or at least the truth. Were they killed? If so, where are their graves? For years, we’ve struggled for answers, but the state has remained silent. While many missing persons have returned, our brothers remain lost. Our message is clear: bring them back, or tell us where they lie."
Waliullah and Mukaddas were last seen on the night of February 4, 2012, when they were allegedly abducted by plainclothes law enforcement personnel from Nabinagar in Ashulia, while traveling back to campus. Since then, there has been no credible information about their fate. Police have repeatedly denied any involvement in the case.
In a deeply emotional address, Professor Khalid Saifullah—elder brother of Waliullah—shared the enduring pain of uncertainty. "Every time I come to this university, my legs tremble and my voice falters," he said. "I’ve approached the administration, human rights bodies, and even filed petitions—but nothing has moved. My mother still opens the door at night, whispering, ‘Maybe Wali is coming back.’ My father says, if Wali is gone, he just wants to see his grave and offer a prayer there. No family should live in this agony."
The human chain concluded with a pledge to continue the struggle until justice is served. Chhatra Shibir leaders vowed to escalate their campaign nationwide if the authorities fail to respond.
The case of Waliullah and Mukaddas remains one of the most haunting examples of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh’s recent history—a wound that, more than 13 years on, has yet to heal.
HKJ
