On March 26, 2021, at 1:26 pm, I stood in front of the main gate of Jahangirnagar University, sipping tea at a nearby shop while awaiting the arrival of my classmates. I glanced at the clock. Suddenly, two men dressed in white approached me, and within five minutes, two RAB vehicles arrived, encircling me. They swiftly ushered me into one of the vehicles, where I found myself seated between two individuals who proceeded to assault me. RAB officers began striking me forcefully on both sides of my head, and from behind they relentlessly beat my back and neck with a black pipe. Before long, they handcuffed me and blindfolded me with a towel, all the while hurling abusive language. The car continued its journey, eventually arriving at a secluded building where various forms of torture persisted for three days. Throughout this ordeal, my whereabouts remained unknown to anyone. Or whether I am still alive or dead.

Shakil Uzzaman, a member of the higher council of the Gono Adhikar Parishad and a student in the Botany Department of Jahangirnagar University in 2021, recounted these words. Born on April 4, 1994, in Gopalpur upazila of Tangail district, he is the eldest of three children to farmer Shamchul Haque and Selina Begum of Hemnagar village. In the 2012-13 session, he enrolled in the Bachelor of Botany programme at Jahangirnagar University.

From the onset, Shakil had been actively involved in various movements and struggles on campus, often becoming the target of attacks and lawsuits. He recounted the numerous instances of torture he endured during an interview with Bangla Outlook's Dhaka representative.

Bangla Outlook: How did you get involved in politics?

Shakil Uzzaman: Upon entering the university, freshmen were coerced into attending protest marches and meetings organised by the ruling political party's student organisation to secure seats. Those who refused to comply faced various forms of persecution. I voiced my objections to this practice from the outset. On several occasions, I was forcibly expelled from the hall by the Chhatra League. I also actively participated in protests and campaigns against various irregularities within the university.

As the eldest son of a farmer, I harboured aspirations for a promising government job. However, many talented yet economically disadvantaged students were denied government positions due to the job quota system. In protest against this injustice, initiatives were launched in public universities. The quota reform movement started on February 17, 2018, demanding the cancellation of 56 per cent of the reserved quota. I was the convener of the Jahangirnagar University Committee. That's the beginning.

Bangla Outlook: How many times have you been attacked?

Shakil Uzzaman: I have faced numerous instances of assault by the Chhatra League while advocating for various demands on campus. Keeping track of the tally was never my priority. We also staged multiple blockades on the Dhaka-Aricha highway during the quota reform movement. In 2018, a three-day protest unfolded, culminating in the announcement of our programme in front of the university library the following morning. Despite facing resistance, we persisted in gathering support for our 5-point demand. Our female members also encountered attacks, being forcibly dragged away and confined to rooms in the hall from morning until evening. During these episodes, we endured confinement and sustained beatings with galvanised pipes and sticks.

During the movement, the police charged with batons, shot tear gas shells, and rubber bullets. I continued the movement again after taking the treatment. Sometimes I got injured a little bit more and had to be admitted to the hospital. These are nothing to mention. Once the RAB picked me up and took me away.

Bangla Outlook: When and how did they pick you up?

Shakil Uzzaman: On March 26, 2021, amidst a nationwide lockdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, plans were afoot to pay homage at the memorial. Departure was scheduled around noon, and I found myself sipping tea at a local shop in front of the university's main gate, eagerly anticipating the arrival of classmates and friends. As time passed, I found myself repeatedly glancing at the clock, which read 1:26 in the afternoon. Then, two individuals dressed in civilian attire approached me, conversing on various topics and inspecting my mobile device. After confirming my identity, within five minutes, two black microbuses pulled up, surrounding me swiftly ushering me into one of the vehicles.

Bangla Outlook: What did they do to you in the car? 

Shakil Uzzaman: With my eyes blindfolded by a towel and my head encased in what felt like a hat, they commenced striking my ears, causing excruciating pain. Despite my attempts to speak out, my hands were swiftly handcuffed, rendering me unable to intervene. Subsequently, two individuals began mercilessly beating me from behind with a rigid pipe, targeting my back, neck, and arms. Consumed by fear, I remained silent, overhearing their conversation. I felt there were six individuals in the car: two seated in the front, two on either side of me, and two positioned behind. As the vehicle traversed deserted roads, ominous threats of harm pierced the air, leaving me gripped by terror. They were saying, 'We will finish him tonight'. The absence of any mention of names in their dialogue, coupled with their use of coded language, further intensified my anxiety.

After two hours, courage propelled me to overcome my fear. Despite the blood trickling from my nose and the stiffness settling into my body from the relentless assault, I refused to succumb to tears. With gritted determination, I endured the agony cruising through my legs. Suddenly, the car came to an abrupt halt.

Bangla Outlook: Where did the car stop? What did they do there? 

Shakil Uzzaman: After roughly two hours of travel, the car came to a halt. Although I couldn't discern our exact location, I speculated we had arrived at a building with stairs, likely spanning two or three floors. Upon arrival, I was ushered into a room, my hands and eyes bound, leaving me in complete darkness. The pain from the various parts of my body, especially my thighs, back, and jaw, throbbed incessantly from the relentless torture.

Their ominous warnings intensified as they conveyed that a higher-ranking officer would soon interrogate me, emphasising the dire consequences of refusal would be death. Threats loomed menacingly, with the implicit suggestion that my life hung in the balance. They menacingly insinuated that since I had been brought here unnoticed, they could dispose of me without repercussions.

Bangla Outlook: Did they leave afterwards?

Shakil Uzzaman: I didn't see if they had left the room, but I sat for a long time. A high-ranking official asked me, 'Why are you involved in politics? You are studying at university, pursue a good career. If you get killed here, the family will be devastated. There might be a protest for two to four days, but afterwards, everything will return to normal,' he explained. I didn't respond. Then he left as well.

Bangla Outlook: What happened next?

Shakil Uzzaman: It might have been evening. They brought me food and removed the blindfold from my eyes. But I was handcuffed, so I had to eat in that state. It was beef and polao. I couldn't discern anything outside of the room they kept me in. Four walls enclosed me, surrounded by large curtains. I felt as if I were confined to a room within a house. After thirty minutes of eating, my eyes and hands were bound again, and I was taken to the car.

Bangla Outlook: Where did they go? 

Shakil Uzzaman: As before, two people sat in the car on either side of me, making six people in front and back. However, it seemed the people had changed this time based on their discussion. The car started moving again. They addressed me as 'Mama' and stated, 'Soon you will be taken to the forest, and a crossfire will be staged.' The car continued until 2 or 3 am, with clinking of arms in their hands throughout the journey. Suddenly, the car stopped at a secluded place, and I was taken to a room. My eyes were opened, but I couldn't discern where I was. I was surrounded by bindings and hooks mounted on the walls. They removed the handcuffs from one hand and attached them to the wall hook. The room had air conditioning, and they mentioned that the temperature could be lowered to below zero or increased to 40-50 degrees Celsius. They showed me a device and said it administered electric shocks. They made me sleep on the floor with one hand hanging from the wall by the handcuff. They then informed me that this place was called 'Ayna ghor,' where torture was carried out.

Bangla Outlook: What did you think, as they say, it was 'Ayna ghor'?

Shakil Uzzaman: Yes, they showed me various types of equipment, including something resembling an electric drill machine with electric shocks attached to both hands. Essentially, they attempted to instil fear in me. In the room, there were two people. One of them told me, 'If you are tortured and killed, who will save you?' They were all dressed in civilian clothes. The individuals who initially arrested me were wearing black RAB uniforms, but then there was a change in personnel. They informed me that this was the 'Ayna ghor.' When I was instructed to sleep, they blindfolded me again.

Bangla Outlook: What happened next?

Shakil Uzzaman: The following morning, on March 27, they permitted me to eat after waking up. Without any clocks around, I ate vegetables and rice. Then, they sealed my eyes once more, my hands in handcuffs again. I was taken in a vehicle. They resumed driving the car, which started moving again without me knowing our destination. The words uttered instilled fear of the unknown consequences. They declared, "We've brought you here unseen; many have fallen victim to crossfire." The looming threat of death haunted me. This routine persisted until the afternoon when I was relocated to another room for a meal. The cycle repeated until 2–3 am when I was again taken to a room for the night. Meanwhile, in the car, they inflicted pain on me, hitting my toenails with boots and causing them to split. With sticks and fists, they mercilessly beat, resulting in blood flowing from the nose and mouth.

Bangla Outlook: What did they do the next day?

Shakil Uzzaman: On the morning of March 28, I was taken to the office of RAB-4 in Darussalam, Mirpur. My eyes were open then as they began taking pictures. They informed me that I would be handed over to the police station. They stated, "Now you will be handed over to the police, and you must undergo some treatment." Subsequently, I was transported to Rajarbagh police hospital. Inside the hospital, I was subjected to another round of brutal beating, this time with a black pipe, right in front of the doctor. My nose and mouth began to bleed as a result. The officer from RAB, clad in black, threatened, "I will kill you right now. I will not hand you over to the police station." The nurse on duty intervened, pointing out the presence of a CC camera and urging them not to beat me there. The beating continued for another 15 minutes. After receiving treatment, I was handed over to Motijheel police station in the morning, facing criminal charges of obstructing police work and destruction of state property.

Bangla Outlook: What happened next?

Shakil Uzzaman: That day, the police took me to court, where I was remanded for two days. Surprisingly, the police in the station did not subject me to any torture, although my body condition was already deteriorating. After two days, the court once again sent me to prison.

Bangla Outlook: Have you been treated in prison?

Shakil Uzzaman: There was no such treatment. I was held in the Shapla building of Keraniganj Central Jail, where they confined me to a 'condemned cell' for four days. Eventually, I was transferred back to the regular ward. I remained in prison for approximately six months, during which time it took a considerable amount of time to heal from the wounds inflicted by the torture. For many days, I endured the pain, both physically and emotionally, as I struggled to recover.

Bangla Outlook: Did you receive treatment while out of prison? What is the status of the case?

Shakil Uzzaman: Yes, I received treatment, but unfortunately, I have not been able to overcome the trauma fully. It continues to haunt me, manifesting in moments when I wake up in the middle of the night. I am uncertain how long it will take for me to recover from this ordeal. Compounding the situation, the case is still ongoing, adding to the stress and uncertainty surrounding my future.

Bangla Outlook: What is your plan?

Shakil Uzzaman: I will work for the country, for the people, for our rights.

Bangla Outlook: Thank you.

Shakil Uzzaman: Thank you to Bangla Outlook too. Hopefully Bangla Outlook will show the dream of living to the people who are suffering, in pain and deprivation.