Rahima Begum, who was found alive in Faridpur in September last year 29 days after disappearance, was not abducted but her daughter Mariam Mannan staged the ‘abducted drama’ in a bid to implicate their neighbour in a case over land dispute, said Police Bureau of investigation (PBI). Khulna Superintendent of Police Syed Mushfiqur Rahman revealed these information at a press briefing held at PBI office around 11:30 am on Monday (February 13, 2023). The PBI submitted the investigation report to the Metropolitan Judge in the morning. “We have not found any evidence of abduction rather evidences show that Mariam Mannan plotted the abduction drama in a bid to implicate their neighbor in a case over land dispute,” he said. Also read; Rahima’s statement on ‘disappearance’ misleading: PBI “As part of the plan, Rahima herself went into hiding and changed her locations frequently during this period. On October 27, last year, she went to Dhaka and after living there for some days, Mariam sent her to Bandarban with some clothes and medicines. Later, she went to the house of one Abdul Kuddus at Boalmari in Faridpur district where police traced her,” he added.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday alleged that the government is giving promotions to the officials involved in enforced disappearance and murders. "Based on the Prime Minister's offer for tea, I would like to say the US State Department imposed sanctions on some officials for indulging in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. But what did you (PM) do? You have recently promoted two people who are involved in such disappearance and murder,” he said. Speaking at a human chain programme, he also said those who carry out the act of disappearance and murder in favour of the government are called Sheikh Hasina's `death squad'. Read: AL's ‘mega corruption’ led country to edge of disaster: Fakhrul Stating that an ancient Greek philosopher was killed by giving him hemlock juice, Rizvi said, "You (Sheikh Hasina) are offering tea. There’s a question in people's minds what will be there in Sheikh Hasina's cups of tea? Whether there will be the juice of hemlock in that tea? Because we saw how she dealt with the opposition in the past."  He alleged that the current government has made disappearances, crossfires and killings a part of politics in running the state. “Everyone knows who are involved in killings and crossfire. In today's era of technology, everyone is also monitoring it internationally.” Jatiyatabadi Ulema Dal arranged the human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the hike in prices of daily essentials and indecent comments against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman by a ruling party leader. Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she would offer BNP leaders to tea if they come to besiege her office (Prime Minister's Office). Read: 'BNP desperate to grab power': Obaidul Quader "I will listen to them – whatever they want to say. I believe in democracy," she said while speaking at a meeting of Awami League's Dhaka North and South units. Rizvi, the senior BNP joint secretary general, said the PM’s soft tone like offering tea to the protesters is not a good sign. “Why is your voice suddenly so soft? It's a strange thing. When the tone of your voice weakens, it is an indication that some more terrible torture is coming down on the opposition.” Recalling that Hasina asked BNP to send the list of cases to her before the 2018 election, he said, “Then we saw you filed cases against us more extensively.” The BNP leader alleged that the PM is allowing the plundering of public money in the name of mega projects as she has no love for people. END/UNB/ARJ/F 1831

Sylhet district unit BNP on Sunday submitted a memorandum to the home ministry demanding effective steps to trace the party’s leader M Ilias Ali who went missing from the capital a decade ago. Leaders and activists of the party submitted the memorandum through the district administration, marking 10 years of the alleged enforced disappearance of former MP Ilias Ali. BNP organising secretary Ilias Ali, along with his driver Ansar Ali, went missing on the midnight of April 17, 2012, from the capital’s Banani area. Police later found his car near his home in the city's Mohakhali area. Since then, BNP has been blaming the security agencies for the mysterious disappearance, an allegation denied by the government.  Also read: Opposition being deprived of justice: BNP Law enforcers failed to find any clue about his whereabouts in the last 10 years though BNP leaders and his family members are still waiting for his return. A good number of BNP leaders and activists, led by Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury and general secretary Advocate Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, handed over the memorandum to the local deputy commissioner's office at noon. Later, in a brief address in front of the DC office, Abdul Qayyum said it is unfortunate that 10 years have passed since the disappearance of Ilias Ali, the most popular leader of greater Sylhet, but no effective initiative has been taken by the government to find him out. “It’s the responsibility of the government to ensure the security of any citizen of the country. If any citizen of the country goes missing, it also is the responsibility of the government to trace him/her out. Since the government has not taken any effective steps to return the missing leaders and activists, including M Ilyas Ali, we think that all the missing people are in the custody of the government,” he charged. Also read: Fakhrul seeks opposition parties’ unity to dislodge AL govt The BNP leader called upon the government to take sincere steps to ensure the safe return of Ilias Ali and all other missing leaders and activists in Sylhet to their families. Besides, all the BNP’s upazila and municipal units under Sylhet district submitted separate memorandums addressed to the home minister through their respective Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), as a part of their programme marking the day. The party units in the memorandum called for returning all the missing BNP leaders and activists, including M Ilias Ali, his driver Ansar Ali, Chhatra Dal leaders Iftekhar Ahmed Dinar, Junaid Ahmed, to their near and dear ones immediately. The memorandum also said the government cannot avoid the responsibility for the disappearance of any citizen. “So, we strongly demand the government to return popular public leader M Ilias Ali, his driver Ansar Ali, Chhatra Dal leader Iftekhar Ahmed Dinar and Junaid Ahmed unhurt,” said the memorandums.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the current Awami League government must be ousted through a mass movement to end enforced disappearances and repressive acts. “It’s now a proven fact that they (missing BNP leaders and activists) were picked up by members of the law enforcement agencies. That's why the US has imposed sanctions on the RAB and its current and former officials,” he said. Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP leader also said the existence of Bangladesh will be at stake if the current government is not overthrown from power. “There’s no alternative to establishing a pro-people government by dislodging the current monstrous regime to get rid of repression and the incidents of killing and enforced disappearance. We have to do it through a mass movement,” he observed. Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal arranged the programme at Dhaka Ladies Club in the capital’s Eskaton area. Fakhrul together with senior leaders of BNP, Krishak Dal and other political parties took iftar with the family members of the victims of enforced disappearance at the programme. On behalf of the Krishak Dal, eid gifts were also given to 50 family members of the victims of enforced disappearances.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday alleged that the government has again started indulging in grievous crimes like "enforced disappearance and abduction of opposition activists using law enforcers. "The recent US sanctions on former and current seven RAB officials and intense pressure from local and foreign human rights bodies have brought some relief to families in fear of enforced disappearance and killing.  But, the government has again started involving in a horrible crime like enforced disappearance," he said. Citing examples, the BNP leader said the Khulna District unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) general secretary was picked up a few days ago while another JCD leader of Barguna Upazila unit was handed over to a police station after making him disappeared. "The inhuman behavior of this government is being repeated, which is unacceptable." He came up with the allegations at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office. Rizvi alleged that the government has been using RAB alongside the police force in carrying out the incidents of abduction and enforced disappearance. Read: ‘Awami private committee’ formed in search committee’s name: BNP He said the members of RAB were implicated in heinous  crimes by the government in the past turning the elite force into Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's a personal force. "They (govt) later used the detective police and police force in carrying out abduction, enforced disappearance and the killing of people in the name of gunfights across the country. Now CID has been used to commit such crimes," the BNP leader alleged. He said the law enforcers in plainclothes first pick up opposition activists and common people and then make them disappear forever or kill them by putting on crossfire in the name of recovering weapons. "Sometimes the victims' bodies are found near the roadside or in a ditch or river," he observed. Read: BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader The BNP leader warned the government that the consequences of establishing a reign of terror by indulging in abduction and enforced disappearance, and enforcing misrule on people will be dire.   Rizvi urged the government to quit immediately after taking steeps for the restoration of democracy and people's lost rights through holding a credible election under a non-party neutral administration.  Otherwise, he warned, that they will again resume their movement on the streets to ensure the fall of the current regime. The BNP leader said, "The count down for the departure of the government of midnight voting has begun. The government is terrified sensing a fierce movement of people who want to to get rid of the terrible chain of Awami misrule.”

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that the Awami League government has ‘introduced the culture of enforced disappearance’ in Bangladesh politics by making their party leader Ilias Ali missing nine years ago. “Those who speak in favour of Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty and the country’s independent existence are being consciously and systematically annihilated, disappeared or detained,” he said. Speaking at a virtual discussion, the BNP leader said, “The incident of enforced disappearance has begun in the politics of Bangladesh with Ilias Ali’s one as the first attempt to weaken the nationalist force.” Sylhet Divisional Nationalist Sanghati Sammilani in Dhaka arranged the discussion demanding that BNP leader Ilias Ali be traced who was reportedly made disappeared nine years back. Also read: BNP launches virtual meetings with senior leaders BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali along with his driver Ansar Ali went missing on the midnight of April 17, 2012 from the capital’s Banani area. Since then, BNP has been blaming the security agencies for the mysterious disappearance, an allegation denied by the government. Fakhrul said they are still hopeful about the return of Ilias Ali. “We'll never give up our hope as we know that Elias Ali will come back to us. We also believe that our other boys who have gone missing will return among us.” He said they are trying to bring a change in the government in a democratic manner enduring immense repressions to free the nation from misrule and protect the country’s independence and sovereignty. “We believe our young generation will undoubtedly be able to turn Bangladesh into a free and successful independent Bangladesh.” The BNP leader said a brave leader like Ilias Ali is needed to protect the interest of the country and its people and over the current awful situation. Also read: Coronavirus situation alarming, says BNP He said Bangladesh is now under the grip of two monsters—the current government and the coronavirus. Fakhrul said the Awami League government has been trying to protect the interests of other countries sacrificing Bangladesh’s ones just to hang onto power. Under the circumstances, he said, they are trying to overhaul their party and strengthen its organisational capacity to establish people’s rights and restore democracy in the country. Fakhrul said it is a great achievement of BNP that none of its leader and activist left the party though they have been subjected to serious repressive acts for over a decade. Also read: BNP for 'all-party committee' to stop Covid surge Speaking at the programme, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said the enforced disappearance of Ilias Ali is a clear proof that Bangladesh's independent sovereignty is going to be ruined. He thinks neither the Bangladesh government nor the Awami League made Ilias Ali disappeared. “But who did it? I want to know this from this government…I would like to say those who have done it don’t want to see Bangladesh as an independent country.”

BNP on Saturday alleged that the current government has made enforced disappearance as its main political programme to continue its ‘despotic’ rule by eliminating its opponents.