BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has formally lodged a complaint with the prosecution office of the International Crimes Tribunal, accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and six others of involvement in his enforced disappearance in 2015. The complaint was submitted this morning to Chief Prosecutor Tazul Islam.
The move comes amid renewed discussions on social media surrounding Salahuddin’s disappearance and eventual reappearance in India, where he lived for several years.
Recent online commentary questioned why he had not filed a formal complaint earlier. Reacting to such criticism, interim government Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam condemned these questions in a Facebook post, calling them insensitive.
Prior to his disappearance in early 2015, Salahuddin was serving as BNP’s spokesperson while in hiding.
At the time, the ruling Awami League was reportedly carrying out a nationwide crackdown on BNP leaders and activists, and party chief Khaleda Zia was under house arrest.
Salahuddin’s wife, Hasina Ahmed, launched a campaign for his release, which many believe forced security agencies to eventually relocate him to Shillong, India.
This is not the first time Salahuddin has raised the issue through official channels. On October 15 last year, he submitted a complaint to the Commission on Enforced Disappearances.
He had then announced his intention to file a case with the International Crimes Tribunal but had expressed frustration over the lack of visible progress.
