State patronisation behind disappearances of Illias and others: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday (17 April) alleged that the state has been behind the disappearances of BNP central organizing secretary and former member of parliament (MP) M Ilias Ali and others.

He said it at a press conference held at BNP Nayapaltoncentral office to mark M Ilias Ali's 12 years of disappearance.

He said that Ilias Ali went missing along with his driver Ansar Ali from in front of South Point School and College, Banani Road 2, on 17 April 2012.

The car used by the politician was recovered from Dhaka's Mohakhali area the same day, but the two of them could not be traced even after 12 years.

Rizvi said nowadays, it is clear to the country's people that Ilias Ali was made to disappear by this "fascist government."

Ilias Ali was a headache for the state and a foreign power as he was the key leader of a mass movement raised in Sylhet area against Tipaimukh Dam and border aggression. He was also active against Hasina's autocratic rule, Rizvi added.

After Ilias Ali's disappearance the government had staged different dramas in the name of finding him by search, Rizvi claimed.

He said the contents of dramas were sent from the prime minister's office.

Not only Ilias Ali but other BNP leaders like Saiful Islam Hiru, Chowdhury Alam (former councilor), Zahidul Karim Tanvir, Md Mazharul Islam Rasel, Al Amin, Sazedul Islam Sumon, Md Abdul Quader Bhuyan Masum, Jakir Hossain Munna, Mir Ahamed Bin Quasem, Abdullahhil Azami, Iftekhar Ahamed Dinar and many more were disappeared, he said.

Rizvi ‍said according to the Asian Human Rights Commission a total of 623 people were forced to disappear from 2009-2022 further adding that Bangladeshi human rights organisation Odhikar in its last updated report said that from January to June, 2023, 16 people were missing and disappeared.

He claimed according to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) about six hundred people disappeared in the last 15 years.