The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has issued an arrest warrant against Wing Commander of Bangladesh Air Force Saifur Rahman in a case over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali.
The tribunal passed the order on Sunday after hearing a prosecution petition seeking the warrant.
Ilias Ali, a former BNP lawmaker and senior party leader, and his driver were allegedly picked up from the Banani area of Dhaka in the early hours of April 17, 2012.
They have not been traced since.
According to the prosecution, Saifur was allegedly involved in the abduction and subsequent disappearance of Ilias. The prosecution said investigators found evidence of his involvement during the ongoing investigation into the case.
The prosecution also said Saifur’s name surfaced during the testimony of Army Warrant Officer Imrul Kayes on 21 June in a separate crimes against humanity case against former army officer Ziaul Ahsan involving more than 100 alleged enforced disappearances and killings.
Saifur was detained from his residence on the night of 26 July by the military police’s Provost branch and was later kept in a special cell of the force, according to prosecution sources.
Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Md Aminul Islam said preliminary investigations and witness testimony had found evidence of Saifur’s direct involvement in the alleged abduction of Ilias Ali.
He said the tribunal was also investigating the alleged roles of others, including retired Lieutenant General Sheikh Mamun Khaled, in the case.
The prosecution has alleged that Ilias was abducted and disappeared in April 2012 as part of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances.
BNP leaders have long accused individuals linked to the then Awami League government of being involved in his disappearance.
The prosecution has also alleged that the intelligence wing of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was directly involved.
Saifur, then a squadron leader in the Air Force, was serving with RAB’s intelligence wing at the time, according to the prosecution.
