'My journey is far from over': A warrior for disappearance victims now ready for another battle
On Thursday, Sanjida Islam Tulee, a key coordinator of Mayer Daak (a platform for families of disappearance victims) and sister of a disappeared BNP leader, spoke with The Business Standard’s Zia Chowdhury about her struggles and political challenges ahead.
Sanjida Islam Tulee, a key coordinator of Maayer Daak (a platform for families of disappearance victims) and sister of a disappeared BNP leader, has entered politics on the BNP ticket for Dhaka-14.
Her main rival is Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, a disappearance survivor held for nearly eight years in the DGFI-run secret facility Ayna Ghar, now contesting for Jamaat-e-Islami. Once a gathering place for victims' families, Tulee's Shaheenbagh home now hosts political leaders.
On Thursday, she spoke with The Business Standard's Zia Chowdhury about her struggles and political challenges ahead.
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Having gone from opposing the government to possibly joining it after the next national polls, what are the biggest challenges you face in the race?
For the last decade, I have been fighting against an authoritarian ruler who finally fled the country in August last year. But my journey is far from over – more than 350 families are still awaiting their loved ones, with no solid answers from the government or the alleged perpetrators, including the DGFI and RAB. My struggle has now taken a new turn, as entering politics brings its own set of challenges.
Politics is not easy. You have to go door to door, convincing voters why you are fit to represent them and be their voice. Dhaka-14 is a unique constituency, densely populated with middle-class, lower-middle-class, and slum areas, each with distinct needs. Shah Ali, Mirpur, and parts of Kafrul face issues like dilapidated roads and poor waste management. Mirpur, gentrified without proper urban planning, requires attention to women's safety at night and access to adequate medical services.
Slum areas face repeated fire incidents, and the constituency's workers, spread across various factories, struggle with some of the world's lowest wages. With a background in textile engineering, I understand their pain and aim to improve livelihoods, housing, nutrition, and transportation. Beyond the city, the Bongaon and Kaundia unions in Savar upazilla also face challenges – different from the capital's – but still in need of basic amenities. Addressing these disparities will be a core part of my mission.
You spoke about workers and factories in your constituency. Successive governments have sided with owners, and even used force – workers were shot dead during protests both in the Hasina era and under the interim government. How will you stand beside the workers?
Whoever is in power must listen to the workers. In past years, we've indeed seen crackdowns where workers died due to heavy-handed action by the authorities. I can assure you that I will stand beside the workers, even if my own government fails to take the right path.
Workers are the lifeline of our economy, and their voices cannot be ignored. Remember my words – you will find me standing with them, even if law enforcers take the opposite side.
You're contesting Dhaka-14 against Mir Ahmad Quasem, who is himself an enforced-disappearance victim. Isn't that a bit unusual?
No, I see it differently. We fought against the tyrannical government shoulder to shoulder – alongside his family – while he was held in a secret prison. Through Maayer Daak and our long struggle for justice for the victims' families, we built a strong bond, almost like brother and sister. Yes, it's still a competition, and I want it to be a healthy one. Elections should be about better ideas and better work, and I believe the race in Dhaka-14 will be fascinating.
As for challenges, Jamaat candidate Quasem has strong organisational backing. BNP is a large party with diverse grassroots networks, and Jamaat has its own organisational history. I have been given this chance, and I come from a political family – my brother Sajedul Islam Sumon was a BNP leader who disappeared and is still missing. Many central leaders of my party, including the chairperson's advisers, have already joined my rallies, which has helped strengthen unity among local leaders. I'm hopeful about positive outcomes in the days ahead.
What if your party violates human rights after coming to power? Which side would you take then?
I'm contesting the election with a BNP ticket, but that does not mean the journey of Maayer Daak ends here. My elder sister Akhi and my mother are still leading the organisation, and they will continue to carry its torch. As for my own position, I have only one side: the side of the people, the side of human rights. I went to Geneva to testify as a victim of enforced disappearance, and I will never forget that experience, even if I am elected.
Over the last 15 years, the previous regime created an environment of hostility, political vengeance, and deep division. They sowed the idea that political dissent makes you an enemy who must be destroyed at any cost. We must break this cycle. This culture of hatred and retaliation has to end, and we must begin that fight now.
Your elder brother was abducted again, even during the interim government. Why was he abducted, and how do you view the government's stance on justice for enforced disappearances?
What the interim government has done so far on enforced disappearance is just the tip of the iceberg – we need to dive much deeper. We are not fully satisfied with the steps taken. Yes, they have initiated trials against some army officials, but that is still far from enough to reassure the victims' families.
Many victims, even after returning from detention, still have to run from court to court because they were framed in false cases. Some of the culprits even left the country despite court embargoes, and the government did nothing. This is deeply painful for the families.
Every year, on 30 August, we remember the victims of enforced disappearance. After the fall of Hasina, for the first time, we received an official allocation at a public venue – the National Museum – to hold our event.
Last year, while we were observing the day, and BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, himself a victim of enforced disappearance, was about to join us, my elder brother was abducted again from our home. DGFI personnel allegedly tried to silence our voice even after Hasina's fall. They attempted to erase CCTV footage and even harassed my mother. Amid public outcry, my brother was returned after several hours, yet the police still showed up later with an arrest warrant for him – despite him being a victim. This is the reality we live with.
Those who misused state machinery for political purposes are still at large, while police continue to knock on our doors. If you read the rules of business for the DGFI and RAB, you will not find any legal authority for them to eavesdrop on private conversations or abduct citizens arbitrarily and keep them for days. Around the world, every institution has boundaries and limits. We must address this urgently.
I will fight to establish clear standard operating procedures for these agencies so that citizens can live without fear. And yes, RAB must be disbanded – as the BNP has already demanded. I fully support this. RAB should be abolished.
