A former student leader of the anti-discrimination movement has been missing for more than 48 hours in Dhaka, according to a social media post by Hasnat Abdullah, chief organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP) for Bangladesh’s southern region.
Hasnat wrote on Facebook on Thursday morning that K.M. Mamunur Rashid, former joint convener of the Uttara-based Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, disappeared from the Uttara area of the capital more than two days ago. He described the situation as “deeply concerning and frightening,” adding that “in the post–August 5 political environment, this may be the first such incident.”
In his post, Hasnat accused the government and law enforcement agencies of negligence in ensuring citizens’ safety and in promptly investigating the disappearance. “Where the state has failed to ensure even minimal security for citizens, there is clear evidence of extreme negligence in investigating this incident,” he wrote.
Hasnat also voiced alarm at what he described as the “silence” of the media over the case. He warned that such silence could signal a return of “an old culture of fear and repression” in politics.
No immediate comment from police or government officials was available on the claim.
