BNP has sought an explanation from its standing committee member Mirza Abbas about his recent statement on the disappearance of party leader Ilias Ali.
A letter from BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reached Mirza Abbas’ Shahjahanpur residence on Thursday afternoon, party sources said.
Talking to UNB, some party senior leaders, wishing anonymity, said the letter was sent as per a directive of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
Contacted, Mirza Abbas said he still did not receive any such letter.
Also read: Abbas claims media distorted his comments on Ilias’ disappearance
Speaking at a discussion programme on Saturday last, Mirza Abbas said he thought neither the government nor the Awami League made Ilias Ali disappear. “But who did it? I want to know this from this government.
He also called upon BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to find out those BNP leaders who engaged in an altercation with Ilias Ali the night before he went missing.
As his remarks sparked various speculation and discontent within the party, BNP high command decided to send a letter to him seeking an explanation.
Abbas on Sunday claimed that some media distorted his remarks about the disappearance of their party leader M Ilias Ali.
Also read: Culture of ‘enforced disappearance’ came with Ilias Ali’s incident: BNP
"It’s been published in a newspaper quoting me that some BNP leaders are responsible for the disappearance of Ilias Ali. Can anyone prove I made such a remark? It’s not possible to prove. I want to make it clear that my statement has been distorted,” he told a press conference at his residence.”
He also alleged that some newspapers wrongly quoted him as saying that the government and Awami League had no involvement in the disappearance of Ilias. “I didn’t make any such comment. My statement has been distorted and twisted. I just rebuked the government and wanted to know where Ilias is.”
BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali along with his driver Ansar Ali went missing on the midnight of April 17, 2012 in the capital’s Banani area.
Since then, BNP has been blaming the security agencies for the mysterious disappearance, an allegation denied by the government.