Ilias Ali disappearance case: Wing Commander Saifur shown arrested, sent to jail

An International Crimes Tribunal has ordered former Air Force Wing Commander Saifur Rahman Saif to be shown arrested and sent to jail in a case involving alleged crimes against humanity over the enforced disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali.

The order was passed on Sunday (August 23) by the bench of International Crimes Tribunal-1 after a hearing in the case.

Saifur was produced before the tribunal around 9:30am.

The tribunal had earlier issued an arrest warrant for Saifur on August 9 following a prosecution petition. He was subsequently detained from his residence on the night of July 26 by the Special Military Police branch.

Saifur's name surfaced during the testimony of Army Warrant Officer Imrul Kayes on June 21 in the case concerning the alleged abduction and killing of Ilias Ali. The prosecution later sought an arrest warrant against him.

Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said preliminary investigations and witness statements had found evidence of Saifur's direct involvement in Ilias Ali’s abduction.

Investigators are also examining the alleged roles of several others, including retired Lieutenant General Sheikh Mamun Khaled, he said.

Ilias Ali, a BNP leader and former lawmaker, and his driver were allegedly picked up from the capital's Banani area late on April 17, 2012. Neither has been traced since.

At the time, BNP alleged that Ilias Ali was abducted on the orders of individuals linked to the then government. According to the prosecution, Saifur was serving as a squadron leader in the intelligence wing of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) when Ilias disappeared.