Leaders and activists of different units of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Sylhet on Thursday demanded forming an international standard probe commission to trace out the party鈥檚 enforced disappeared leaders and activists, including M Ilias Ali, a former lawmaker and organising secretary of the party.
Mentioning that waiting for Elias Ali is not over as the mystery of his disappearance remains unresolved, they said that the family of Ilias Ali and leaders and activists of the Sylhet BNP and its affiliated organisations were still waiting for him.
The BNP leaders said that they believed that Ilias Ali was still alive and the quarters concerned of the deposed government were aware of his whereabouts.
They made the claims while addressing a human chain formed at Court Point in the city at noon marking 13 years of enforced disappearance of Ilias Ali, a former lawmaker elected from the Sylhet 2 constituency.
Stating that incidents of enforced disappearances have tarnished the image of the country nationally and internationally, they said that it was seriously needed to form an international standard and impartial investigation commission to overcome the situation.
The incident of disappearance is not only significant only to Ilias Ali鈥檚 family or to the BNP, but also significant to the entire nation, they claimed.
They said that it was a mystery to everyone how a former lawmaker and renowned political figure could remain missing for such a long time with no clues.
The BNP leaders also submitted a memorandum to the interim government鈥檚 chief adviser through the Sylhet deputy commissioner office, demanding immediate steps to trace out the party鈥檚 all disappeared leaders and activists, including Ilias Ali, and release them.
The BNP鈥檚 Sylhet district unit president Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, its vice-presidents Ashik Uddin Ashuk and Mamunur Rashid Mamun and general secretary Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, Sylhet city unit acting president Rezaul Hasan Kayes Ludi and former general secretary Badruzzaman Shelim.
Ilias Ali and his car driver Ansar Ali were disappeared from near his residence in the Banani area of Dhaka on April 17 in 2012. Since then, the disappearance of Ilias Ali remains a mystery to his family and the BNP.