Former Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi and Barrister Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman have been released from the infamous detention facility known as "Aynaghor".
The release comes amid increasing pressure from human rights organizations and the families of the disappeared.
Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi, the second son of the late Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Azam, was confirmed to have been released by a verified Facebook post from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
The post, shared on Tuesday morning, read, "Alhamdulillah! Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi, the son of Shaheed Amir-e-Jamaat Professor Ghulam Azam, has returned. May Allah return all those who are missing to us."
Azmi had been detained since August 23, 2016, when he was reportedly taken by law enforcement officials for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. At the time of his dismissal from the military, Azmi held the rank of Brigadier General.
Meantime, Barrister Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, son of the executed Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali, has also been freed after a prolonged disappearance.
Arman was abducted from his home in Mirpur DOHS, Dhaka, on 9 August 2016. His release was confirmed late Monday night through a social media post by his family.
Afroza Islam Ankhi, sister of forcibly disappeared BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon and a coordinator of Mayer Daak—a platform for families of the victims of enforced disappearances— also confirmed the releases.
The news follows a meeting between Director General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Director Admin Tamzid and several human rights advocates, including Mayer Daak co-founder Sanjida Islam Tulee, Senior Human Rights Adviser of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Bangladesh Huma Khan, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis, prominent photojournalist Shahidul Alam, and women's rights leader Shireen Huq.
The DGFI has announced that an update on other captives held in Aynaghor will be provided on Wednesday morning.
Amid the recent releases, families of political prisoners secretly detained during the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gathered in front of DGFI headquarters, eagerly awaiting news of their loved ones.
The release of Azmi and Arman has rekindled hope among many that their relatives might also return home soon.
BDST: 1532 HRS, AUGUST 06, 2024
MSK
