Dhaka, Apr 21 (UNB) - BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said Ilias Ali was abducted to divert people’s attention from the ‘cash scandal’ of the former Railways Minister’s APS.

Addressing a discussion, Fakhrul said the incident of enforced disappearance of Ilias Ali was staged at a time when people were reprimanding the government after the APS to the former Railways Minister was caught red-handed with huge ‘bribed money’.

He said the government drew flak after former Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta was made a minister without portfolio after his resignation due to his ‘involvement in bribery’.

Lalbagh thana BNP organised the discussion at the National Press Club in protest against the disappearance of BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali and demanding the release of detained party leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.

Fakhrul alleged that the government has resorted to ‘abduction and secret killing’ to eliminate its political opponents. “We need to build up a resistance against such ill-attempts against democracy.