Awaiting justice for over four decades, families of freedom fighters, who were members of the armed forces, executed under Gen Ziaur Rahman’s rule, sought intervention of the US Ambassador Peter Haas for bringing the perpetrators to book. Under the banner of ‘Mayer Kanna’, a platform of family members of victims of enforced disappearance during Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime, they made the call to the US ambassador when he visited the residence of Sanjida Islam, coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’, an organisation of families of victims of enforced disappearance, in Dhaka’s Shaheenbagh on Wednesday morning. Read more: US envoy meets Momen, shares displeasure over embarrassment Sanjida is the sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, who is reportedly a victim of enforced disappearance that took place in 2013. The ‘Mayer Kanna’ organisers explained their move to seek the US ambassador’s intervention is a press release signed by Kamruzzaman Lenin, who lost his father, freedom fighter Sergeant Saydur Rahman who later joined the Air Forces and was hanged “without justification” under Gen Zia’s rule. In the appeal to the US ambassador, the ‘Mayer Kanna’ organisers wrote: “We have come to you for a fair trial. We strongly believe the USA will take a strong stand against this inhumane act by killer Zia and will play a leading role in taking the issue to the international arena.” “We hope that the US government will consider these matters in a very humane manner and set a shining example in history by setting up an international commission of inquiry and taking effective steps to strengthen the rule of law and human rights,” the appeal further reads. Read more: US Ambassador visits residence of the coordinator of ‘Mayer Dak’ in city After Gen Zia, founder of BNP, took over, 1000s of armed forces officers – many of them freedom fighters – were executed at his order, according to victim families and independent researchers. On December 10, marking the international day for human rights, these families described a series of ordeals that turned their lives upside down during that period. Many are still unaware of the remains of their loved ones, executed during the rule of Gen Zia. Referring to the aftermath of “hijacking and landing of a Japanese plane in Dhaka by the Japanese Red Army” in 1977, the letter for justice to the US ambassador mentioned that “forces loyal to Gen Zia” opened fire on army and air force in Dhaka, killing hundreds of officers, in the name of a coup d'état. Zia unjustly executed around 1,156 army and air force personnel – by hanging or firing squad, the appeal reads. The press release from ‘Mayer Kanna’ said that acting on information that the US ambassador was visiting a house in Shaheenbagh area in the capital, victim families, who live in the area, “showed up and drew the attention of the ambassador.”

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Wednesday visited the residence of  Sanjida Islam, coordinator of Mayer Dak, an organization of the relatives of the victims of enforced disappearance, at Shaheenbagh  in the city. The US envoy went there around 9 am and stayed there for about 30 minutes, Sanjida told UNB. Read more: US ambassador didn’t go to the memorial on Martyred Intellectuals’ Day, he went somewhere else: Quader He discussed several issues including enforced disappearance and killings, she said. Sanjida is sister of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, a victim of enforced disappearance in 2013. “When Peter Haas was leaving my residence I heard chaos in front the gate. Later I heard that a group came there and created chaos while he was getting into his vehicle,” she said. Read more: Those wanting to travel to US as visitor or student should apply as early as possible: Embassy Commenting briefly on the incident a US embassy spokesperson said, “We are raising this matter at the highest levels of Bangladesh government.”

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

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said family members of the victims of enforced disappearance, including Ilias Ali, are facing severe strife in absence of their near and dear ones.   Talking to reporters after visiting the house of missing BNP leader Ilias Ali in the city’s Banani area, he also alleged that the government has not taken any initiative to trace the victims of enforced disappearance because of its own involvement in these incidents. “The situation would have been different had the government taken any initiative to find the people who were subjected to enforced disappearance. But no such effort of the government was seen since it is involved (in these incidents),” Fakhrul said. He said people saw that law enforcers had picked up BNP leader Ilias Ali and his driver from Banani area a decade ago in the capital. “It’s very clear that this incident happened through this government. As the government has no step to find out the victims of enforced disappearance, their families are being deprived of all facilities and facing serious ordeals.” Fakhrul along with BNP joint secretary general Sayed Moazzem Hossain Alal went to Ilias’ house at noon and talked to his wife Tahsina Rushdi Luna and other family members. He also presented them with Eid gifts on behalf of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. Referring to his conversation with Luna, he said Ilias Ali's family has been in great danger. “His (Ilias’) wife told me that they could not access his (Ilias Ali's) bank account. They couldn't even pay tax on his car. These things have caused a great deal of pain to the family." Read: Seeking India’s help to lift sanctions on RAB manifestation of govt’s knee-jerk foreign policy: BNP The BNP leader said Ilias’ family had to face a lot of problems regarding their daughter's college admission as some colleges were not allowing her to take admission. “Not only Ilias Ali’s family, but all the families of the victims of enforced disappearance are going through such strife." He said their party has been trying to stand by the families of its members, activists and leaders who were 'made disappeared' - popular in the local parlance as 'goom' - by providing them with gifts and financial assistance on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. 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 alleged that Awami League wants to stay in power by intimidating people and resorting to enforced disappearances. He said the culture of disappearance never existed in the politics of Bangladesh until the current Awami League government came to power. “Authoritarian and usurper regimes had not done it in the past. We saw for the first time in Bangladesh that political opponents were made  to disappear during the rule of the current regime.”  Stating that two people were recently killed in crossfire by RAB, the BNP leader said such killing and violation of human rights by the elite force will continue to happen as long as legal action is not taken against those who were involved in the misdeeds. Read: BNP conspiring to assassinate Hasina: Quader Fakhrul said the government is unable to take any action against the law enforcers since it has used them for carrying out 'enforced disappearances’, 'killings' and 'torture' to cling to power. “They (govt) have been held hostage by law enforcement agencies." Criticising the government for seeking India’s help to have the sanctions on RAB lifted, he said it has exposed that the government is bankrupt since it is requesting the neighbouring country to overcome a national problem.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday accused Awami League of eliminating its political opponents through what he said enforced disappearances and political killings to establish one-party rule. “It’s Awami League’s old desire that as long as Bangladesh exists they’ll be in power. They’re indulging in enforced disappearances and killings with the only political goal of hanging onto power,” he said. Speaking at a discussion, Fakhrul said Awami League tried but failed to impose one-party Baksal rule in 1975. “They’re now trying to establish the one-party rule in a different style changing their strategy. They’re eliminating those who are creating obstacles to achieving this goal.” Also read: 10 years of Ilias Ali’s disappearance; Sylhet BNP submits memo to Home Ministry BNP arranged the programme titled “Return All the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, Including Ilias Ali, at a city hotel marking the 10th year of the “enforced disappearance” of former party MP Ilias Ali. A video clip on the disappearance of over 600 BNP leaders and activists was presented at the beginning of the programme. BNP’s then-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. 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. Fakhrul said the people want to raise their voice for the restoration of their lost rights but can’t do that as the government has created an awful suffocating situation across the country. "We have to get out of this situation and we’re trying to do that.  We’ll surely be able to wage a strong movement in the future with all our political parties to defeat the terrible monster regime and establish a truly representative government of the people,” he said. Also read: Fakhrul seeks opposition parties’ unity to dislodge AL govt The BNP secretary general called upon the opposition political parties to initiate a united movement for the protection of national independence and sovereignty, restoration of democracy and for ensuring the safe return of those who were subjected to enforced disappearance. "Let’s bring back a truly democratic environment where there will be accountability so that no mother will cry for her missing son and no child will look for his/her missing father,”  he observed. Fakhrul said they do not know whether those who were made to disappea will return to their families. “We pray for their safe return. The families of those who were killed are also facing serious sufferings.” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said they attend the programmes in memory of those who were made to disappear with a very heavy heart as they do not have any suitable language to console their family members. “We become speechless seeing the tears of the family members of those who have gone missing. We must remove the fascist government with the united efforts of democratic and patriotic people, individuals and parties to get rid of such a situation in the country,” he said. BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nagorik Oikay convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gono Odhikar Parishad convenor Dr Reza Kibria, educationist Professor Mahbub Ullah and BNP hum rights secretary Advocate Asaduzzaman Asad, among others, addressed the programme. M Ilias Ali's wife Tahsina Rushdir Luna and some other family members of the missing BNP leaders spoke at the programme narrating the ordeals they are going through losing their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers.  They, however, said they will wait for the return of their loved ones.

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 Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the Awami League government is trying to make enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings part of ‘national culture’.

BNP on Sunday urged the international community to take steps for carrying out an investigation into the incidents of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing in Bangladesh.

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.