BNP leader Rizvi accuses security personnel of abducting Bangladesh citizens on contract

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged the law-enforcing agencies are involved in “enforced disappearances” in Bangladesh.

“The country has become a safe haven for thugs and robbers. Enforced disappearances are taking place on contract,” the senior joint secretary general of the party remarked at a news conference in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“Powerful people are making their opponents vanish by striking deals with the law enforcers in charge of making people disappear,” he added.

The BNP leader also referred to the recent disappearance of former state minister for home affairs Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj’s nephew who was allegedly picked up by law enforcers.

“If the people with ruling party links become victims of enforced disappearance, then the common people will have no way to breathe easy,” Rizvi said.

According to the family, Syed Iftekhar Alam Sourav, a student of media and communications at Independent University Bangladesh, went missing on June 9 from Chattogram city. His family alleged that Sourav was abducted by plainclothesmen over his relationship with a businessman’s daughter.

Sohel Taj suspects that officials of a public agency have a hand in the incident.

Rizvi mentioned the alleged enforced disappearance of executive committee member Hasan Mamun.

"It's another example in a long line of disappearances of Ilias Ali, Saiful Islam Hiru, Chowdhury Alam, and Sajedul Islam Sumon,” he said.

Disappearance has become "a part of national life" because the Awami League has kept the democracy and good governance "away in a box," he added.

Rizvi alleged that RAB men picked up former Chhatra Dal president of Dhaka University unit Mamun from his Shantinagar residence on Friday midnight.

Three days later, RAB-8 in a statement said he was arrested on charges of leaking question of primary teacher recruitment test in a case filed with the Patuakhali Police Station under the 'Public Examinations (Offences) Act.