Sohail Sheikh, the resident of Topngi adjacent to the capital, used to run autorickshaw in Uttara. Amid his working schedule, he participated in mass uprising in July-August. However, he’s been out of trace sine August 5. Sohail has two children— 2 years old Saimon Sheikh and 7 years oild Sumaiya. Their family members condoled them by saying their father is outside for work purpose.
His wife Aisha Akter burst intoi tears while saying this to the reporter. She said, “I can’t give any right answer to the children. We can’t help but came to the parental house in Pirojpur due to financial crisis. I filed a general diary in Uttara West Thana; however, none seemed to want to know about us.”
Hridoy, 20 was shot dead in front of Gazipur Konabari Sharif Medical on August 5. Ibrahim, the husband of the missing Hridoy's sister, said that Hridoy used to drive an autorickshaw in addition to studying in college. He would participate in the movement in between work. Many people saw the scene of him being shot dead. Far from contacting his unfortunate father Lal Mia or any of his relatives, the forensic department of any hospital did not even feel the need to take a DNA sample.
Like Sohail Sheikh and Hridoy's relatives, DNA samples of relatives of many missing families were not taken from the forensic department of Dhaka Medical College or any other hospital. No responsible organization has contacted their relatives either.
Various questions have been raised about the process of burying the bodies by the charitable organization Anjuman Mofidul Islam, which buries unclaimed bodies. No mark is being placed on the grave, which can be identified if the body and the DNA samples of the relatives are found. According to the experts, how will it be implemented if the court orders the exhumation of the body from the grave for further investigation of the case?
Nasir Uddin Elan, executive director of human rights organization 'Odhikar', told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “There are many questions about the process of burying bodies by Anjuman Mofidul Islam. The graves should have been numbered at least so that the relatives can identify the graves if the bodies are identified later. Apart from this, if the bodies need to be exhumed for sensational cases, they will have to face a terrible situation.”
He also expressed his anger over the failure to find and provide cooperation to the relatives of the martyrs in the July-August mass uprising.
The investigation revealed that 49 bodies were buried as unclaimed bodies by Anjuman from January 1 to 28. No identification marks were given to any grave. Although the forensic departments of the hospitals were told to take DNA samples of unidentified bodies, there were reports of extreme indifference in taking DNA samples of relatives who came to search for the bodies. Of the 115 people buried as unclaimed bodies in the Rayer Bazar graveyard in July-August, only four were identified as of Thursday. Many people have a question: will these brave children of the sun remain unclaimed?
July August Foundation CEO Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdha told Bangladesh Pratidin, “DNA samples of the bodies buried unclaimed in July-August have been kept. Relatives searching for them can seek help from the Ministry of Health. Families whose search has not been conducted or financial assistance has not been provided will be contacted soon.”
Kazi Golam Mokhlesur Rahman, head of the forensic department of Dhaka Medical College (DMCC), said that although autopsies were conducted on 2,096 bodies in 2024, 277 were given to Anjuman Mofidul Islam as unidentified. As of January 28 of this year, autopsies have been conducted on 163 bodies. Currently, there are seven bodies of the movement and nine unclaimed bodies in DMCC. Eight bodies, including those of prisoners and foreigners, are lying in prison due to various legal complications.
Additional DIG Shampa Yasmin of the forensic unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police said, "We have received DNA samples of 10 bodies killed in July-August, of which two have been matched with the samples of relatives. Two more are under process. No finder's sample has yet been matched with the samples of six bodies.”
If samples are taken late from the bodies, the chances of matching are reduced, she added.
Anjuman Mofidul Islam has buried 516 unclaimed bodies in the last one year. Most of them have been buried in the intellectual graveyard of Rayerbazar. The organization recovered 44 in January, 33 in February, 49 in March, 37 in April, 59 in May, 48 in June, 81 in July, 34 in August, 34 in September, 44 in October, 53 in November and 54 in December and buried them as unclaimed bodies."
Anjuman Mofidul Islam's burial service officer Kamrul Ahmed said, "Many things are not possible due to various limitations. After identifying the body, we can only search for the cemetery.”
What if the court orders the exhumation of the body from the grave? In response to this question, he said, "Then all the burials that were buried on that date will have to be exhumed."
Recently, a visit to the Rayerbazar Intellectual Cemetery showed that the unidentified bodies were buried in a row in block number 4 of the cemetery. None of them have nameplates, signs or signboards. Except for the new graves, most of the high mounds of the graves have become level.
Maulana Ferdous, in-charge of the Rayerbazar Intellectual Cemetery, said, "The body has come to us. We have buried it. We do not have the opportunity to open the shroud of the body. We don’t know who’s in which grave."
(Translated by Lutful Hoque)
