‘Unimaginable in any civilised state’
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today said the brutal acts committed by the ousted Awami League government -- killing the country's citizens and burying them in mass graves -- are "rare in world history" and unimaginable in any civilised state.
He made the remarks while receiving a report on DNA sample collection from 114 unidentified bodies buried at Rayerbazar in Dhaka during the July mass uprising.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The Criminal Investigation Department formally handed the report over to the CA at his residence Jamuna.
"The DNA identification process proves that truth cannot be suppressed forever," Yunus said.
The initiative to uncover the truth and restore the identities of the martyrs marked a crucial step towards justice for families who have been searching for their missing loved ones, he said.
The CA said the names and identities of those killed will return, and their sacrifices will be permanently inscribed in the nation's history.
He added that the initiative was not merely a forensic exercise, but a humanitarian effort to wipe away the tears of grieving families, restore the humane face of the state, and take a courageous step towards justice.
"For those who are still waiting for news of their loved ones, this process is a ray of hope -- one day the truth will come to light," he said.
The DNA sample collection was conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, with overall cooperation from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health.
The operation took place between December 7 and December 27.
So far, nine families searching for missing relatives have submitted DNA samples. Of them, the identities of eight martyrs have already been confirmed through DNA matching.
The CID said all identified victims were killed by gunshots.
The CID has urged families whose loved ones went missing while participating in the July-August mass uprising to contact its hotline at 01320019999.
Talking at the event, CID Chief Additional Inspector General Md Shibgat Ullah said one martyr's mother used to visit the CID regularly in search of her son.
"She would stand beside a grave under a tree at Rayerbazar," he said. "Amazingly, her son's body was found buried right under that tree."
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