BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Monday slammed the party leadership for not taking any programme to mark the fourth anniversary of its leader M Ilias Ali’s disappearance.
“Why is BNP afraid of remembering Ilias Ali? He was made disappeared as a BNP leader, not as an individual of Sylhet… I got a chance to express my affection for him as some students of Sylhet have arranged this programme here,” he said. Dhaka, (UNB news agency reported)
The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion programme at the Jatiya Press Club arranged by Sylhet Divisional Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Forum, in Dhaka demeaning that Ilias Ali be traced.
Ilias Ali, BNP’s then Sylhet divisional organising secretary, went missing along with his driver, Ansar Ali, on the midnight of April 17, in 2012. Since then, BNP has been blaming the security agencies for his mysterious disappearance, an allegation denied by the government.
Though BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Ilias’ Banani residence on Sunday and talked to his family members, the party did not have any programme to recall its missing leader on the occasion. Gayeshwar said a strong movement had been waged across the country after the disappearance of Ilias, but it was stooped suddenly for reason remained unknown. “Today, there’s no party programme demanding his trace.”
He alleged that Ilias’ followers are being gradually removed from the politics of Sylhet. “Those were against Ilias in the past, they’re still active against him.” Describing the incident of Ilias’ disappearance as tragic one, the BNP leader said the government has made him missing as it was afraid of him. He also said the Prime Minister can answer whether Ilias Ali is alive or not. “We must wait for his return.”
Mentioning that Ilias did not do politics for flag and posts, Gayeshwar said now intellectuals and people with doctorate degrees are emerging as politicians who hold posts but do not take to the streets. Speaking at the programme, BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed that Ilias are still there in the custody of government agencies. “The members of government intelligence agencies picked Ilias up on that day. So, it’s clearer he has been in their custody.”
