Dhaka, May 9 (UNB) – The BNP-led 18-party alliance staging demonstrations and holding protest rallies in all the cities, including capital Dhaka, and district headquarters today (Wednesday) to press for the return of ‘disappeared’ BNP leader M Ilias Ali.

Earlier, BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed announced the agitation programmes at a press conference at its Nayapaltan central office on May 6.

Moudud warned that they would announce a harsher movement on Wednesday if the government does not return Ilias Ali, release the arrested leaders and workers of the 18-pary alliance and withdraw the cases filed against its leaders and workers, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, by today.

Earlier, the opposition alliance enforced hartal for five days in two spells to press home their demand.

It enforced countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for three days on the trot on April 22-24 in the first spell while on April 29-30 in the second spell to press for finding out Ilias Ali who along with his car driver went missing on the night of April 17.

Besides, BNP enforced a daylong shutdown in Sylhet division on April 19.

The main opposition also held countrywide demonstrations on April 26, April 28 and May 6 demanding the return of M Ilias Ali and his car driver to their families unharmed.

Ilias Ali, a former MP and BNP organising secretary, went missing along with his driver on the midnight of April 17. BNP blamed security agencies for the mysterious disappearance of Ilias Ali, an allegation denied by the government.