Army officer testifies on Ilias Ali’s enforced disappearance

Army officer Imrul Kayes has given testimony before the International Crimes Tribunal-1, describing what he said he knew about the alleged disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali in 2012.

Kayes appeared as the fifth witness in a crimes against humanity case against Maj Gen (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, the sole accused in a case over allegations of enforced disappearances and killings of more than 100 people during the Awami League government’s tenure.

Ziaul Ahsan was present in the tribunal during the testimony on Sunday.

Ilias Ali, a BNP leader, was allegedly abducted from Banani in Dhaka on 17 April 2012.

In his testimony, Kayes said he joined the Bangladesh Army’s Armoured Corps as a soldier in 2001 and was deputed to the RAB headquarters between 2010 and 2012.

He said he was assigned as a runner for the director of RAB Intelligence and remained with Ziaul Ahsan in that role.

Referring to events before Ilias Ali’s disappearance, Kayes said that on or around 13 April 2012, he travelled in a microbus from the headquarters with Ziaul, Major Nawshad and Squadron Leader Saif to an area near the Mohakhali flyover.

He said he did not know who they intended to pick up, but alleged that Ziaul made several phone calls to learn when the “target” would arrive.

According to Kayes, they later learned that the target would not come, after which he dropped Ziaul at his residence and left for nine days of leave the following morning.

Kayes said he learned through media reports during his leave that a BNP leader named Ilias Ali had been abducted from near the Mohakhali overbridge.

Read More

Narayanganj MP’s son held over extortion charge

After returning to duty on 23 April, he said he found a tense atmosphere at the RAB headquarters and heard from other members that weapons in-and-out registers and CCTV footage had been destroyed.

He further testified that he once heard Ziaul speaking on the phone and saying that Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, then defence adviser to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, was calling.

Kayes said he did not know what was said from the other end of the call, but alleged that Ziaul complained, “Sir, as per your instructions, I made Ilias disappear. Now you cannot act like this. I am a commando; send me to a jungle posting instead. That would be better for me.”