Staff Correspondent:

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Sheikh Hasina must face highest punishment in Bangladesh, holding her responsible for enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and crimes against humanity.

Fakhrul made the remarks on Friday while speaking as the chief guest at a photography exhibition and discussion organised by Mayer Dak, an association of families of the disappeared, on Manik Mia Avenue in front of the National Parliament.

“Today it is proven that Sheikh Hasina is responsible for all enforced disappearances and killings. Therefore, she must face the highest punishment — and that punishment must be carried out on the soil of Bangladesh,” Fakhrul said.

Criticising the interim government, he said it has “failed to stop the tears of families of the disappeared” and “failed to make the commission on enforced disappearances public or hold open hearings.”

Fakhrul warned that the authorities would have to be held accountable for these failures, while expressing hope that the current government would take steps to identify those responsible.

“The maximum punishment for enforced disappearance, killings, torture, and crimes against humanity is death,” he said, adding, “Hasina’s trial is inevitable, and her highest punishment must take place in this country. Do not lose hope — people’s movements never fail; they have never failed in history.”

Fakhrul also shared a personal account of visiting the family home of Munna, a victim of enforced disappearance.

“Munna’s father searched for him everywhere, even traveling to India, before dying from illness and exhaustion. This is the level of horror — human rights have been completely wiped out. Before the Awami League came to power, we could never imagine such a situation,” Fakhrul said.

Reaffirming BNP’s commitment to the victims of state repression, Fakhrul added, “BNP stands with the oppressed and persecuted at all times. We want elections, but we also want swift justice for all these crimes.