Name: Sajjadur Rahman Shawon
Profession: Software Engineer
Age: 28
#TheMirrorHouse Statement
(April 10, 2022 – 8th Ramadan)
I had just finished iftar and was heading to Startech Computers to buy RAM. One of my relatives was waiting for me there. Just after leaving home, I heard someone call from behind: “Brother, come here for a moment.”
When I turned around, I saw three men. As soon as I approached, they asked, “Are you Shawon?” I said yes, and they replied, “You have to come with us.” I asked, “Who are you? Why should I go with you?” Their response: “We have some things to talk about.” I said, “Then talk here.” They said, “No, we can’t talk here.”
At that moment, a white microbus arrived. Before I could react, two armed men stepped out. Out of fear, I was forced to get inside. As soon as I entered the van, they snatched away my phone and wallet, covered my face with a black cloth, and immediately started slapping and kicking me. I had no idea what my crime was or what was about to happen to me.
Later, I was taken to their desired location, brought into a room by lift, and my blindfold was removed. I found myself inside an office. They began interrogating me with pictures, asking: “Do you know these people? Do you belong to any group? Why did you join Tabligh? Why did you keep a beard? Where do you give sadaqah (charity)?” Since my answers did not satisfy them, they subjected me to physical and mental torture.
After a night of beatings, at sehri time I was blindfolded again and taken by lift to the infamous 7th floor of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit — though at that time, I did not know where I was.
I was kept in a small solitary cell. I was not allowed to speak or make any sound. Even when I asked for drinking water, I was verbally abused. I was forced to drink filthy bathroom water. They gave me rotten, spoiled food. From time to time, they called me out, tortured me, and forced me to confess to crimes I had no part in. My religion was insulted the most. When I requested a Qur’an, I was abused with foul language.
This continued for 100 days. During those days, I had no idea how my family was doing, nor did they know if I was alive. My family searched for me everywhere — at DB offices, RAB offices, even in morgues. They spent two Eids without me. My mother had died less than a year before, and yet they kidnapped me, breaking my family further.
One evening, they called me out and said: “We have good news for you. For what you’ve done, we could easily kill you in a crossfire. But we won’t. Instead, we’ll file a small case against you. You’ll be freed soon. But you must also cooperate. In court, you must say you were a militant, and that you were caught on July 16. If you don’t, we’ll file 10 cases against you — including with weapons — and then kill you in crossfire.”
Later, they took me to court. Alhamdulillah, Allah’s plan was different. The severe torture I had endured had left my body in such a state that it became my mercy. The magistrate, seeing my physical condition, immediately asked, “Tell the truth, when were you arrested? Why is your body in this state?” When I told him everything, he assured me not to worry. He then summoned those who filed the case and demanded accountability, also instructing them to inform my family.
After 100 days, my family finally learned that I was alive. Yet, because I refused to lie in court as they instructed, the threats of killing me continued even as I was taken from the magistrate’s chamber to the jail.
I remained in prison for many more months. Despite there being no evidence or testimony against me, it took 8 months to get bail. Almost a year later, on the 1st of Ramadan in 2023, I was finally freed. My captivity had begun on the 8th of Ramadan and ended on the 1st of Ramadan the following year.
This is how I became a victim of the so-called “militant drama.” My family and I endured unbearable suffering. I still don’t know why they abducted me or what my crime was.
Note: CCTV footage of the day of my abduction has been shared in the comments. In the footage, the man in the yellow T-shirt is me. The three men seen are ADC Ahmedul Islam, AC Obain, and SI Bashar.
