Thirteen years after the May 5, 2013 operation at Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar, families of those killed continue to live in deep poverty and sorrow. The coordinated security raid, known as “Operation Secure Shapla,” left many families without their main earners. Survivors describe losing loved ones, facing social ostracism, and struggling with debt and illness. Most families have received little or no state assistance or recognition, and many remain traumatized by the events of that night.

The article recounts testimonies from several families who lost relatives, detailing their economic hardship and emotional devastation. It also highlights the government’s long-standing denial of casualties, with officials claiming no one died during the operation. Human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Odhikar reported dozens of deaths, but official investigations were blocked and data suppressed. Media outlets were shut down during the raid, creating what witnesses called a blackout.

Following the fall of the previous authoritarian government in August 2024, victims’ families now see a renewed possibility for justice and international recognition of the killings as crimes against humanity.