Human Rights Concerns Intensify Over Disappearance of Cultural Activist Sagar

Television drama director and a well-known figure in the cultural sphere, S M Kamruzzaman Sagar, has been missing for five days. His family, colleagues, and cultural organizations have expressed deep concern over the incident. No official explanation regarding his whereabouts has been received yet.

According to the family, there has been no communication with Sagar since he left home five days ago. His mobile phone has been found switched off. Family members contacted several police stations but received no confirmed information.

Members of cultural organizations and colleagues say Sagar was not just a drama director—he was an outspoken cultural activist who advocated for the Liberation War, secularism, and state ideology. His writings, social media statements, and participation in cultural platforms inspired the younger generation.

Colleagues claim Sagar knew some important information regarding the distribution of money among celebrities during the ‘July Movement’, and he had been under pressure and threats over the matter for a long time. For these reasons, they believe he may have been targeted. However, no independent verification of this allegation has been found.

Television directors, actors, and various guild-associated professionals say the disappearance of a cultural activist poses a direct threat to the sense of security within the cultural sector. According to them, when cultural figures who uphold the spirit of the Liberation War and human values face security concerns, it creates fear and uncertainty in society.

Human rights organizations say allegations of enforced disappearance, murder, and missing persons have increased in the country in recent times. Many politically active individuals, outspoken citizens, or witnesses of sensitive incidents have reportedly gone missing. Although the government regularly denies such allegations, families continue to suffer while searching for their loved ones.

Due to such incidents, civil society believes that a culture of disappearance is creating a deep human rights crisis, which is affecting the rule of law and the democratic framework.

Some human rights organizations and members of civil society claim that, in recent times, citizens associated with various political ideologies are being targeted. They allege that public trust in the security system is declining.

(However, the statistic “5,000 people missing in the last 14 months” cannot be independently verified; while some human rights groups claim this, the government has been denying these allegations.)

Human rights activists say enforced disappearance is not merely the absence of a person—it plunges a family into unbearable uncertainty. The sudden disappearance of a father, husband, or child inflicts lasting psychological trauma on the family.

So far, the government has issued no official statement or explanation regarding the disappearance of S M Kamruzzaman Sagar.

The family says they want him to be found quickly and demand a fair investigation. Colleagues and civil society members also hope for Sagar’s safe return.