Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus visited Aynaghar and described the conditions inside the facility as "horrifying," expressing deep concern over the human rights violations that took place under the previous government.
Speaking to the press after his visit, Yunus condemned the brutal practices and emphasised the importance of justice for the victims.
"You all were with me, so I don't have to tell you again. If I have to describe the Aynaghar, then the scene inside is very horrifying," Yunus said, referring to the torture and abuse that took place in the facility. "Is this our society? There is no explanation for this. The more I hear, the more incredible it seems."
He further shared accounts of those who had been tortured, adding, "Those who have been tortured have also come with us, I have heard their stories. So, many many innocent witnesses were picked up and labelled as a terrorist."
Yunus also revealed that he had learned about the existence of similar torture cells across Bangladesh. "I heard today that there are such torture cells all over Bangladesh. I don't even know the number," he stated. "This is a sample of the Arabic 'era of ignorance' that the previous government had established. The Commission on Disappearances had to come here to uncover these."
Highlighting the severity of the situation, Yunus said, "This is a reflection of the ultimate deterioration that I saw in the country. People have been deprived of their minimum human rights. Today, this will be a definitive document for the nation." He noted that as of now, 1750 victims have been identified, with more remaining unknown.
"The number of victims, as far as I know, is 1750. There are more. These people have disappeared, have been wiped out. No one can say where they are. These are terrible scenes. If we cannot bring this society out of this, then our society will not survive," Yunus warned.
He emphasised that those responsible for these actions must be held accountable. "Those who did these things are our children, our brothers. This is the crime of all of us."
Yunus reassured the public that the evidence will be kept sealed for judicial proceedings. "This evidence will be kept sealed so that it can be used in judicial proceedings," he stated, underlining the importance of seeking justice.
Yunus said his government would prioritise justice over calculating compensation for the victims.
In his closing remarks, Yunus stressed the government's commitment to building a new Bangladesh free from the darkness of past injustices. "The whole existence of the government is because of that. We don't want to stay in the darkness. So we want to create a new Bangladesh, a new environment," he concluded. "We need to make sure that this won't be repeated in the future in any way."