MS Akash, Fatikchhari (Chittagong)

Party leader and Fatikchhari UP Chairman M Shahidul Alam Siraj went missing on his way back to Chittagong after joining the BNP's 'Dhaka Chalo' program on March 6, 2012.

Thirteen years have passed. This popular public representative has not yet returned home. His wife, children and relatives are eagerly waiting for their beloved man. Even if they are not found alive, they want to know where the body is. They claim that even though he went missing while attending a BNP program, the party leaders did not keep track of them.

The missing SM Shahidul Alam Siraj was the Chairman of Lelang Union Parishad in Fatikchhari Upazila and a member of the Upazila BNP Convening Committee. He was in politics with the late MP Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, who was elected from Fatikchhari.

It is learnt that on March 6, 2012, BNP organized a 'Dhaka Chalo' program. Siraj went to Dhaka from his home in Al Falah Gali under Panchlaish police station in Chittagong city on March 1 to join the program. After the meeting, he left for Chittagong by bus on the night of March 26. After getting into the car, he spoke to his wife Soltana Parveen once. Since then, his mobile phone has been switched off. At one stage, family members filed two general diaries (GDs) at Khulshi and Panchlaish police stations. They staged sit-ins with various administrative and political influential people. But nothing worked. However, his wife Soltana Parveen is still waiting for Siraj with her two sons.

Soltana Parveen said, a living person has disappeared like this. I have gone to many places including the police, RAB, DB. But no one has cooperated. Even the party program where she went missing did not try much. They only gave false assurances. They did not even keep track of us.

She said, 'When I could not find my husband, I first called Salahuddin Sahib (then Upazila BNP President Alhaj Salahuddin) and informed him about the matter. He said then, there is no need to worry. Maybe he has gone for some work. The one he spoke to then, did not answer my phone after that. Quader Gani Sahib (pro-BNP journalist leader) also came once and gave many assurances. However, after leaving, he did not keep track of anything.

Soltana Parveen, breaking down in tears, said, 'Everyone is saying that the country has become independent again. But for me, the country is not independent yet. I have not found my husband back. I do not know if he is alive or not. Now I am seeking the intervention of the current government, the future statesman Tarique Rahman. I am not asking for any financial assistance. Even if he is not alive, at least I want to find out where my husband's body is. So that the sons can at least visit their father's grave. '

Azeem Anon, son of ASM Shahidul Alam Siraj, said, "My father was a popular chairman of Lelang Union Parishad. The sad thing is, I contacted many people after the disappearance. But everyone ignored me. I have only one demand from this government, even if we, like my father, are no longer alive, the bodies of those who were victims of disappearances should be known. And those who were involved in the politics of disappearances and murders should be tried. I hope to get positive news from the new government.

When asked about this, OC of Panchlaish Police Station Mohammad Solaiman said, "The incident of 2012 means an incident that happened a long time ago. So I do not know about this. Even then, we will investigate."

BNP Central Organizing Secretary Mahbuber Rahman Shamim said, "Our acting chairman Tarique Rahman himself contacted with the families of the disappearance victims directly. I also went to the homes of the leaders who were disappeared and murdered and contacted them." Every disappearance and murder organized by the murderers Hasina and her cronies will be brought to justice.