[🇧🇩] DGFI and Ayna Ghor

[Saif]

Interim govt to indentify every Aynaghar: CA press secretary

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Thursday said the interim government will conduct further investigation to identify each cell of “Aynaghar” used to confine the victims of enforced disappearance. “Each and every location of Aynaghar previously used as secret

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Interim govt to indentify every Aynaghar: CA press secretary
BSS
Published :
Feb 12, 2025 21:10
Updated :
Feb 12, 2025 21:10

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam today press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy. Photo : PID

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Thursday said the interim government will conduct further investigation to identify each cell of “Aynaghar” used to confine the victims of enforced disappearance.

“Each and every location of Aynaghar previously used as secret detention and torture cells will be identified,” he told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi were present at the briefing.

Replying to a question, Alam said all cells of Aynaghar will remain sealed off as the evidences of the enforced disappearance since it will be required in legal process. “All Aynaghars will remain sealed off until further investigation,” he added.

He said there were 700 to 800 Aynaghars across the country and all those would be unearthed. “We will indentify every Aynaghar and you will hear about it in the future,” he said.

Replying to another query, the press secretary said it is clear that all those involved in killings during the July uprising and enforced disappearances will be brought to justice.

The press briefing was arranged following the Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s visit to the three secret detention cells in Dhaka.

Eight victims of enforced disappearance, six advisers and journalist from Qatar-based Al Jazeera, Sweden-based journalism platform focusing on Bangladesh Netra News, and state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) and members the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance, accompanied the Chief Adviser during the visit.​

 

[Saif]

July atrocities, Aynaghar being documented globally: Adviser Asif

Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and Youth and Sports Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan has said supporters of the fascist ruler won’t be able to deny their misdeeds as their atrocities during the July Uprising and their torture cell Aynaghar have been documented local

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

July atrocities, Aynaghar being documented globally: Adviser Asif
BSS
Published :
Feb 13, 2025 20:52
Updated :
Feb 13, 2025 20:52

Adviser Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan attended the closing ceremony of Dhaka University’s ‘Youth Festival 2025’ at the university central play ground. Photo : Collected

Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and Youth and Sports Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan has said supporters of the fascist ruler won’t be able to deny their misdeeds as their atrocities during the July Uprising and their torture cell Aynaghar have been documented locally and internationally.

“We have visited the mysterious Aynaghar yesterday and let the world perceive what had been happening there. World has seen the realities, yet the supporters of fascism are shamelessly denying the facts. But denying the facts won’t be fruitful this time because their atrocities during the July Uprising have been documented and published,” he said.

He said this while addressing as the chief guest the closing ceremony of Dhaka University’s ‘Youth Festival 2025’ at the university central play ground.

Speaking about the significances of documenting the July atrocities and Aynaghar, the adviser said the fascist forces, who clang to power by committing crimes like killing and enforced disappearances, will permanently be pondered as the enemy of the common masses both nationally and internationally.

“To reconstruct Bangladesh with the energy of youth, we have been observing the youth festival across the country and young people are participating in the festivals spontaneously with enthusiasm,” he said.

“The programme has been arranged aimed at organizing our youth and to present their ability and power to the world,” he added.

Regarding the contribution of youths during the July Uprising, he said the youths functioned as the driving forces in the movement and still now the youths are serving the best to defuse all kind of conspiracy. If they remain functional as they are now, it will be impossible to misguide Bangladesh, he noted.

DU vice chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan was in the chair while youth and sports secretary Md. Rezaul Maksud Zahedi was present as the special guest.

The adviser distributed prizes among the winners of different competitions including drawing, case solving, debate and chess.

At the end of the program, convener of DU Youth Fest Prof. Jashim Uddin gave thanks to the participants and organizers of the festival.

The curtain of the three day-long Youth Festival of DU falls tonight with a concert to be performed by national award-winning rock icon Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, popularly known as ‘Nagarbaul James’.​

 

[Saif]

How the ex-PM used and abused intelligence agencies

We need legal frameworks to prevent their future misuse

www.thedailystar.net

How the ex-PM used and abused intelligence agencies
We need legal frameworks to prevent their future misuse

Visual: Anwar Sohel

Two remarkable things happened last Wednesday—the chief advisor visited "Aynaghar" (House of Mirrors), the secret torture cells set up by security and intelligence agencies to confine, interrogate, psychologically break, demoralise, and physically torture a select group of opponents and dissenters whom the political governments of day wanted either eliminated or at least tortured and intimidated into submission.

On the same date, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued its long-awaited report on the Sheikh Hasina government's handling of the July uprising and the killings that took place. The UN fact-finding mission, citing senior security officials, stated: "The prime minister herself told the security force officials to kill protesters to quell the protests and specifically demanded 'arrest the ringleaders of the protests, the troublemakers, kill them and hide their bodies.'" The report quoted testimonials from a meeting held on July 19, 2024. This, seen in conjunction with party secretary general, Obaidul Quader's statement to the press on the same day that security forces had been given orders to "shoot on sight," reveals the diabolical mindset that appears to have dominated the thinking of the former prime minister. The previous day, July 18, the home minister, chairing a meeting of the "core committee," told the BGB commander "to order the use of lethal force more readily."

Nothing could have revealed the atrocious levels to which our intelligence agencies had descended more than the chief advisor's visit to the "Aynaghar." We owe it to the Sweden-based Netra News for breaking the news in 2022 about the secret torture centres set up by the DGFI to torture political opponents. We carried the news one week later. Those of us who operated inside the country were highly constrained and took courage in seeing some Bangladeshi fellow journalists doing the unthinkable.

As we fret over, write about, and condemn what happened, the real challenge is to take effective steps to prevent it all from happening again. The OHCHR has made some vital recommendations that we must now implement—ones that were prevented from being put into practice in the past. We hope that the spirit of the July uprising will ensure nothing similar happens now.

A crucial recommendation is to reform the colonial-era Police Act of 1861. It is quite incredible that we have lived with it even after more than 53 years of independence. We have been demanding police reforms for years, especially training them to become a force for the people instead of being an instrument of violence against them. They need to be trained in modern tactics for handling protests and controlling crowds. Given our history of spirited and immensely politically relevant student movements, our police should have received special training for peaceful crowd control. Instead, they retained the colonial-era habits of violently attacking demonstrators, beating them, and resorting to lethal weapons. Then, of course, there is torture in custody, which has resulted in many deaths.

We have protested for decades the use of lethal weapons to disperse crowds. None of our elected governments made any attempt to reform the police, though both of our main political parties—the Awami League and BNP—were victims of police atrocities while in opposition. In this regard, the suggestion to set up an independent commission to investigate police violations of the law, modernise investigation techniques, reduce mass criminal charges and arrests, and minimise reliance on coerced confessions needs urgent implementation. The establishment of a National Police Commission for fair, transparent, and merit-based recruitment also deserves swift action.

Regarding institutionalised impunity and a politically pliant justice sector, the recommendation to establish a genuinely independent judiciary reflects a long-expressed desire of our people. The suggestion to create an independent mechanism for the recruitment of judges, protection against intimidation, and guaranteed tenure must also be implemented urgently.

The setting up of an independent public prosecution service and a witness protection programme would greatly contribute to dispensing justice.

A most serious issue highlighted in the UN report is the use and abuse of intelligence agencies, especially the DGFI and NSI, by the political masters of the day. The "Aynaghar" detention and torture centres would not have been set up unless the DGFI and others complied. The relevant question is: did they have the option not to?

The DGFI is mostly manned by members of the armed forces but does not report to the army hierarchy. It reports to the Prime Minister's Office and, as such, must obey the orders of the political masters of the day. So, the crucial question is: what can that institution do if ordered to undertake illegal activities, as most dramatically exemplified by the establishment of "Aynaghars." Its complicity in forced disappearances, human rights violations, arbitrary confinements, and many other abuses is well known. It is a fact that all governments—both military and civilian—used the DGFI for their own political goals. However, under Sheikh Hasina, it reached its most coercive height. Not only was it used to intimidate, torture, and punish political opponents, but it was also used to fulfil the agendas of notorious private companies—such as capturing banks and securing lucrative contracts. This led to massive corruption. Such misuse of this vital intelligence agency, closely linked to our national security, not only greatly damaged its image and reputation but also compromised its integrity, independence, and ability to serve the nation.

It is our considered view that all our intelligence agencies, especially the DGFI and NSI, must be prevented from being misused by future elected governments. And this is the moment to do it. No past governments did it. And future ones are unlikely to do so, as these agencies are the most convenient tools for oppressing the opposition and implementing highly partisan goals.

Political powers also used the DGFI to intimidate the free and independent media. Private companies were instructed not to advertise in The Daily Star and Prothom Alo at the direction of Sheikh Hasina's government. This unofficial "ban" lasted for eight years, starting in 2016. Media institutions were aghast to observe that DGFI became involved in manipulating elections for journalist bodies such as the DRU, DUJ, BFUJ, Press Club, including vetting participants in TV talk shows.

In its obsession with remaining in power, Sheikh Hasina's government distorted and misused all institutions, including the judiciary, bureaucracy, police, and intelligence agencies. This facilitated the creation of the fascistic ruling structure from which we have now been freed by the student-led people's uprising.

To save our vital intelligence institutions from naked abuse, we must set up legal and institutional frameworks to prevent their future misuse and thereby save these vital national security institutions from politicisation.

Most importantly, an institutional governance structure—with clear channels of communication, supervision, and accountability—must be set up to provide all intelligence agencies with clear mandates so that each institution and those working in them know what they are expected to do, and what falls outside their mandate. This will give each institution and their chiefs the right and the legal cover to refuse performing any tasks which fall outside of their mandates. The vagueness of current mandates allows political leadership to misuse them. In today's world, the term "security" is used to justify actions that create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. It must also be mentioned that some overenthusiastic individuals within these institutions allowed such abuses because it gave them a chance to take advantage of the situation for personal aggrandisement. After all, a sense of unlimited power triggers many unwarranted things within a person.

We must establish an independent and democratic oversight institution that will help govern them better and also prevent their political, partisan, and sometimes even personal misuse. There must also be fiduciary transparency in regard to budget and their utilisation. Examples abound all over the world where powerful intelligence agencies are monitored by parliamentary or other independent oversight bodies. All intelligence agencies—DGFI, NSI, SB, DB—would benefit from such oversight, which will help them operate independently to serve national interest instead of partisan ones.

With the gradual collapse of the law-based world order, the necessity and rising relevance of intelligence agencies, particularly those linked to defence establishments, are greater than ever. We acknowledge this need. However, we must also ensure that these institutions are trained, equipped, and elevated to global standards. For that to happen, we must eliminate political and partisan influence over these critical institutions.

Just as we value these institutions and need them to serve us better in handling our security issues, we also need the legal and governance related infrastructure to prevent the kind of abuse and misuse that we have witnessed and suffered from in recent years.

Mahfuz Anam is the editor and publisher of The Daily Star.​

 

[Saif]

Reflections on Aynaghar and the politics of manipulation in the education sector

The seeds of chaos were deliberately planted in the education sector.

www.thedailystar.net

Reflections on Aynaghar and the politics of manipulation in the education sector

FILE VISUAL: ADRITA ZAIMA ISLAM

The experience of watching Aynaghar and reading the United Nations report on the July uprising was profoundly unsettling. It evoked a visceral reaction—a mix of dread and disgust—at the extent to which power-hungry regimes can go to silence dissent. The chilling accounts of law enforcement agencies being directed to indiscriminately kill, disappear individuals, and carry out unspeakable atrocities purely to preserve the grip on power paint a dark picture of governance devoid of morality. For anyone who has seen even a glimpse of the brutalities captured in Aynaghar, the sheer inhumanity is impossible to ignore.

At the heart of this reign of terror was a simple yet insidious narrative: "Without the Awami League, the BNP-Jamaat alliance will seize power and lead the nation towards extremism." This narrative, repeated often and amplified strategically, became the justification for every injustice. To sustain it, a network of teachers, journalists, and influencers was cultivated—a paid group that reaped personal benefits in exchange for perpetuating this myth. Through privileges and rewards, this group became complicit in turning a blind eye to, and often supporting, systemic abuse of power.

While the fear that the nation might steer towards extremism under a far-right regime may not have been entirely unfounded, the Awami League's actions over the past 14 years revealed a calculated effort to create conditions that would fulfil this prophecy should the regime fall. In essence, the seeds of chaos were deliberately planted, ensuring that the collapse of the government would lead to a crisis, which in turn would create an opportunity for the despot to return. Nowhere was this more evident than in the education sector.

The education ministry, under Nurul Islam Nahid and later Dr Dipu Moni, became the breeding ground for this strategy. Dipu Moni and her associate Barrister Nowfel took a deteriorating system and turned it into a full-blown catastrophe. Consider the appointments of vice-chancellors and pro-vice-chancellors in public universities. Over the past 14 years, these appointments often prioritised political loyalty over merit, leading to academic mediocrity and administrative inefficiency. Education budget allocations stagnated or declined, revealing a lack of genuine commitment to progress. The curriculum underwent frequent and often absurd changes, with theatrical projects that delivered little to improve education quality.

All these were part of a broader plan to create a generation of poorly educated and miseducated citizens who could be easily controlled and manipulated. This strategy served a dual purpose—an uneducated or misinformed population more susceptible to propaganda was created and institutions were deliberately neglected to ensure succeeding governments inherited chaos, to reinforce the narrative that no alternative to the Awami League could govern effectively.

During this period, pro-Awami League teachers, journalists, and influencers, while fully aware of this scheme, chose personal gain over national interest, indulging in corruption, amassing wealth, building luxurious duplex homes, and transferring money abroad to secure properties. The craze for overseas real estate and extravagant lifestyles among this group peaked during these years.

The educated elite, who should have been the custodians of progress and accountability, became instruments of a regime bent on self-preservation. Their actions were very damaging; their complicity allowed the system to rot from within, leaving the nation vulnerable to both internal and external threats.

It is heartbreaking to witness a country with immense potential reduced to such disarray. Education, which should have been the cornerstone of progress and the foundation of a prosperous society, was weaponised for political manipulation. The consequences of this neglect are far-reaching. A generation has been deprived of quality education, institutions have been eroded, and the nation's future hangs precariously in the balance.

The result is a nation at the mercy of opportunists, where hope is increasingly elusive. As despair deepens, the dream of a functional, just, and progressive Bangladesh seems like an illusion. The question remains: how can we rebuild trust, restore integrity, and chart a path towards genuine progress? The answers lie not in empty narratives or political theatrics but in bold, visionary leadership and a collective commitment to prioritise the welfare of the people over the interests of the few. Until then, the shadow of Aynaghar will continue to haunt us, a stark reminder of what happens when power is pursued at the expense of a nation's soul.

Kamrul Hassan Mamun is professor at the Department of Physics at Dhaka University.​

 

[Saif]

Aynaghar was biggest invention of fascist AL govt: BNP leader Aman

BNP Chairperson's political adviser Aman Ullah Aman has said the biggest invention of the fascist Awami League government was the "Aynaghar" -- joint interrogation cells run by different security and law enforcement agencies

www.thedailystar.net

Aynaghar was biggest invention of fascist AL govt: BNP leader Aman

File photo

BNP Chairperson's political adviser Aman Ullah Aman has said the biggest invention of the fascist Awami League government was the "Aynaghar" -- joint interrogation cells run by different security and law enforcement agencies.

Aman made the remark while attending the final match of the Zia Memorial Cricket Tournament as the chief guest organised by Singashur Sporting Club in Keraniganj yesterday (Saturday).

He said, "Anyone who spoke against their corruption would be abducted, tortured in the Aynaghar, and subjected to inhumane treatment. Under the guise of development, they engaged in widespread looting. Elections were nothing but vote rigging, and those who resisted or protested ended up in the Aynaghar."

"The autocratic Hasina used to proudly claimed that Sheikh Hasina does not flee, but in a cruel twist of fate, they have been forced to flee the country. Oppressors can never hold on to power forever," he added.

Aman also said Khaleda will form the government in the upcoming national elections in December. The BNP will establish a national government with representatives from all parties, excluding the fascist Awami League, to run the state.

The event was presided over by Md Zahirul Islam, member secretary of the Keraniganj Model Upazila Swechchhasebak Dal.​

 

[Saif]

Tk 2.45cr seized from ex-DGFI chief Saiful home

The Anti-Corruption Commission has recovered Tk 2.45 crore from the residence of retired Lieutenant General Md Saiful Alam, a former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.

www.newagebd.net

Tk 2.45cr seized from ex-DGFI chief Saiful home
Staff Correspondent 02 March, 2025, 15:06

The Anti-Corruption Commission has recovered Tk 2.45 crore from the residence of retired Lieutenant General Md Saiful Alam, a former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.

A special team from the ACC, acting on a tip-off, conducted a drive on Thursday at the house of Saiful Alam in the cantonment area in Dhaka and seized the amount in cash, ACC director general (prevention) Md Aktar Hossain said on Sunday.

Aktar, responding to a question at a press briefing at ACC headquarters, also said that an inquiry into Saiful Alam over graft allegations was currently underway.

A team of the ACC with the help of law enforcement agencies carried out the drive and recovered and seized the money, he added.

An ACC official told New Age that, based on a tip-off, at the night following Thursday, a joint force comprising the Detective Branch of police, army, and other agencies conducted an operation at the cantonment house of Saiful.

Upon receiving a requisition from DB and DMP, an ACC team assisted in the operation. During the search, a total of Tk2.42 crore in cash was found inside two suitcases.

ACC deputy director Tahasin Munabil Haque, inquiry officer for Saiful Alam’s assets, arrived at the home and, in the presence of neutral witnesses, seized the entire amount.

The ACC on Sunday deposited the confiscated cash, sealed inside two suitcases, in the treasury.

After the fall of the Awami League government amid a student-led mass uprising, Md Saiful Alam was posted to the foreign ministry on August 6. He was later sent to premature retirement in September 2024.

Saiful Alam was the chief of the DGFI from March 5, 2020 to July 27, 2021. He was a commandant of the National Defence College and served in the army as Quartermaster General and GOC of the 11 Infantry Division.

In September 2024, the bank accounts of Saiful Alam and his wife and children were frozen on orders of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit.​

 

[Saif]

Jamaat Ameer shares harsh experiences of 'Aynaghar'

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has revealed the difficult experiences endured by many religious scholars, including himself, during their time in detention at the "Ayanaghar" (secret detention center). He was addressing a gathering at an Iftar meeting organised for orphans and religious sch

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Jamaat Ameer shares harsh experiences of 'Aynaghar'
UNB
Published :
Mar 02, 2025 22:30
Updated :
Mar 02, 2025 22:30

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has revealed the difficult experiences endured by many religious scholars, including himself, during their time in detention at the "Ayanaghar" (secret detention center).

He was addressing a gathering at an Iftar meeting organised for orphans and religious scholars at a restaurant in Dhaka's Mirpur on Sunday.

Jamaat Ameer shared his personal experience of being detained at the Ayanaghar, stating, "I have personally seen the Ayanaghar. Many respected scholars, like myself, were held there in secret. Their families had no idea about their whereabouts, and the detainees themselves were unaware of where they were held."

He recounted the time of his last arrest, which occurred on December 12, 2022, at 3 am, when members of the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit took him into custody. "On a cold winter night, I was taken away in just one piece of clothing by CTTC personnel. There, I saw numerous scholars who had been detained under similar circumstances. Their families did not know where they were, and even those in detention had no idea about their location," Shafiqur added.

He continued, "After a few days, I was taken to court but not presented before a judge. I was then moved from the court's detention cell to Keraniganj Jail, and later to Kashimpur Jail. I was accompanied by around 30 scholars, all handcuffed and shackled, as we were taken to prison."

The Jamaat leader further said, "After 15 years of harsh regime, people from all walks of life have risen in a united movement. After many sacrifices, a change took place on August 5, which signifies a shift toward a better society."

Dhaka North City Ameer, Md. Selim Uddin, also addressed the gathering, speaking to the orphans and scholars present at the event. Several others also shared their thoughts, representing orphans and scholars at the Iftar event.​