April 2012 remains a dark chapter for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Sylhet, as the disappearance of several leaders continues to raise unanswered questions.
The sequence of events began when two local BNP leaders went missing from Dhaka. Just two weeks later, M. Elias Ali — then a central organising secretary of the BNP and convenor of its Sylhet district unit — disappeared from the capital’s Banani area along with his driver, Ansar Ali.
In the wake of recent political changes, families of the missing had renewed hopes of finding their loved ones. While some information has emerged regarding Elias Ali, uncertainty continues to surround the fate of the others.
According to reports citing interrogations of detained intelligence and military officials, Elias Ali was killed after being forcibly disappeared. However, no confirmed information has been found regarding the fate of three others: student leaders Iftekhar Ahmed Dinar and Junaed Ahmed, as well as driver Ansar Ali.
This lack of clarity has fuelled growing concern among residents of Sylhet, many of whom question whether the three may have met the same fate as their political mentor.
Family members continue to hold on to hope. Tahsin Sharmin Tamanna, sister of Dinar, said they believed her brother would return following a change in government. Although some victims of enforced disappearance have resurfaced, she said her brother has yet to be found. Investigations by a disappearance commission have so far failed to produce any concrete findings.
Local BNP leaders also say they remain hopeful. Sylhet district BNP president Quiyum Choudhury said the party has long protested the disappearances, holding the previous government responsible.
The events trace back to March 2012, when a student leader was killed in Sylhet amid internal disputes. Dinar and Junaed were accused in the case and subsequently went into hiding. On 3 April 2012, they were reportedly picked up by individuals identifying themselves as law enforcement officers in plain clothes from Dhaka’s Uttara area. Authorities later denied any involvement.
Both were known as close associates of Elias Ali. Days after their disappearance, he held a press conference in Sylhet demanding their return and warning of protests if they were not released.
Nine days later, on 17 April 2012, Elias Ali himself went missing.
His disappearance triggered widespread protests in Sylhet, particularly in his home area of Bishwanath, where at least five people were killed in clashes with police.
More than a decade later, the fate of the four men remains unresolved. While recent investigations suggest that Elias Ali was killed, the mystery surrounding the other three continues to deepen.
Sylhetview24.com/SZ
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