Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) on Wednesday said there are no detainees in the Dhaka facility, popularly known as "Aynaghor" at the moment.
A delegation including women's rights leader Shireen Huq went inside the DGFI headquarters this morning.
After the meeting with DGFI, Shireen told family members of the victims, "DGFI said there are no detainees in the Dhaka facility at the moment and invited us to inspect it for ourselves. They said they will form a joint commission to inspect 23 other facilities across the country to see if the victims of enforced disappearance are there."
Families were not convinced with DGFI's statement and were still demonstrating in front of the headquarters when this report was filed around 1:30pm.
Nadira Sultana, wife of Ataur Rahman who went missing on December 8, 2011, had rushed to Dhaka today hoping to get back her husband.
"I left Dhaka after he went missing. I was in Madaripur. I told everyone I am going to Dhaka to bring back by daughter's father. I started at 3:00am from Madaripur," she said.
Michael Chakma, 40, a UPDF activist who was forcibly disappeared on April 16, 2019 from Narayanganj, was returned to a friend's house in Chattogram on Wednesday, confirmed a source who spoke to his family.
Chakma has been returned after five long years while negotiations are underway with the DGFI for the release of the others.
Along with Michael, PCJSS activist Mayadhab Chakma, 42, was picked up by security forces from Chattogram a month before Michael. His whereabouts are still unknown.
The delegation who went inside the DGFI today included Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan, Mayer Daak cofounder Sanjida Islam Tulee, and academic C R Abrar.
"We will now contact the army chief about forming an inquiry committee," Shireen added.
DGFI on Tuesday said it would share an update today on the victims of enforced disappearances at "Aynaghor".
