Little Hridi laments as father 'missing' for 10 years
In a deeply emotional plea, 12-year-old Adiba Islam Hridi, the daughter of Parvez, a victim of enforced disappearance, expressed her anguish over living without her father.
Hridi, speaking at a human chain event in front of the National Press Club, shared her pain, saying, "I cannot live without my father. It is difficult for me to even eat without him. I long to spend Eid and every day with my father. I have spent over 10 years without him, and my younger brother is also searching for his father."
Parvez Hossain was the general secretary of Banshal Thana Chhatra Dal. He was abducted by unidentified individuals in December 2013 in Shahbag, leaving his family devastated and searching for answers. The event also witnessed Lamiya Akhter, daughter of another victim named Kausar, voicing her yearning to walk alongside her father and experience the joy of going to school together.
Relatives of missing persons gathered at the human chain under the banner "Mayer Daak" to demand an end to enforced disappearances and the safe return of the victims. Safa, daughter of missing victim Md Sohail, represented her father alongside missing victim Sajedul Islam Sumon's sister, Afroza Islam Akhi, underlining their plea for justice.
Safa, the child of abducted Sohel, made a heartfelt appeal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, pleading for the return of her father, who has been missing for a decade. Another attendee, Chowdhury Alam, recounted the disappearance of his brother, stating that it occurred during a strike, which led authorities to falsely claim his arrest. Alam pleaded with human rights organizations and international bodies to help bring his missing brother back after 12 years.
Painter Shahidul Alam, sharing his own experience, lamented the lack of true freedom in a supposedly free country. He disclosed his own disappearance and the authorities' response, highlighting the urgent need for unity in addressing such critical issues.