On May 5, 2026, survivors of the 2013 Shapla Square operation in Dhaka shared their ongoing struggles and memories of that night. The crackdown followed a mass gathering called by Hefazat-e-Islam, when security forces reportedly opened fire after lights were cut off. Many participants were injured or killed, though no official death toll has ever been confirmed. Survivors like Rashedul Islam Siraji, Mohammad Nure Alam, and Nasir Uddin Ahmed described lifelong disabilities, financial hardship, and emotional trauma stemming from the events.

Rashedul lost a leg after being shot and now runs a small grocery shop under heavy debt. Nure Alam lost an eye and suffered paralysis, struggling to support his family as a security guard. Nasir Uddin still carries the physical and financial scars of a bullet wound that ended his education and left him indebted for years. All three expressed frustration that neither the government nor Hefazat-e-Islam has provided recognition, rehabilitation, or compensation for the injured.

The survivors’ accounts highlight enduring pain and a continuing call for official acknowledgment of the Shapla Square violence and its victims.