Aynaghar

Aynaghar (Bengali: আয়নাঘর, romanized: Āẏnāghôr, lit. 'House of Mirrors') is a colloquial term referring to a network of clandestine detention centers which were operated by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the intelligence branch of Bangladesh's defence forces and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite force unit of Bangladesh Police, during the authoritarian rule of Sheikh Hasina.

These facilities have been linked to enforced disappearances and human rights abuses during Sheikh Hasina's tenure as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, particularly from 2009 to 2024. The existence of Aynaghar sparked significant controversy and was consistently denied by the Hasina regime, which faced widespread criticism from human rights organisations and activists. However, after the regime fell in 2024, 500 to 700 cells were found in detention centres throughout the country. At least one centre, next to Dhaka International Airport, with many tiny, dark cells had been bricked up to hide it after the regime fell. People were incarcerated sometimes for many years, and many are thought to have been killed.