BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday warned the government of serious consequences if it fails to return party joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed, who remains untraced since March 10.
“My concern has also gone beyond limit as like as his family members, relatives, well-wishers, colleagues and the people since he (Salahuddin) was not released or produced before the court yet and even the matter of his arrest is not acknowledged,” she said in a statement.The statement signed by BNP chairperson’s press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel said that the law enforcers had talked to local youths, security guards and gatekeepers before they took Salahuddin Ahmed away from his hideout at Uttara.
“There are many witnesses when they (law enforcers) carried out the drive to take him away. Thus, there is no scope to avoid the responsibility of the government by declining his arrest,” Khaleda Zia said.
She demanded the return of Salahuddin Ahmed to his family or to produce him before the court soon.
The statement mentioned that 12 days have already passed after taking Salahuddin Ahmed by plainclothes people introducing themselves as law enforcers.
Khaleda alleged that it has become a regular practice theduring Awami League-led government to take away leaders and activists of BNP-led 20-party alliance and leave them as victims of enforced disappearance or abduction.
The incidents of recovery of bodies with bullet wounds are happening frequently at different places in the country even when the law enforcers declined their arrest. Many victim families even did not get back bodies of their relatives, said the statement.
In this context, Khaleda Zia mentioned some names including former lawmaker M Ilyas Ali of Sylhet, former MP Saiful Islam Hero of Laksam, Dhaka City Corporation ward commissioner Chowdhury Alam, Laksam poura BNP president Humayun Kabir Parvez, who, among others, were the victims of enforced disappearance.
In a civilised country, it is not possible to accept the use of law enforcing agencies to behave like Gestapo force only to retain the hold of their power, said the BNP chairperson.
In this regard, she said, the government should also remember the concern expressed by the international community.
“There is no reason to believe that the rulers would be able to escape responsibility by making ugly jokes even after a politician Salahuddin Ahmed remained untraced,” she also warned.
The former premier called upon the political leaders and activists, human rights organisations, different social forces and conscious citizens to raise their voice in this regard as she said nobody if safe and anyone can be victim of enforced disappearance and abduction. – Staff Reporter
