Ilias Ali is a Bangladeshi politician and a former member of the Jatiyo Sangshad (Bangladesh Parliament).He came under spotlight after his much talked political rivalry with former finance minister M Saifur Rahman.He was student leader of Dhaka University and he participated in anti autocrat Hussain Mohammad Ershad movement during Martial law. In 1987 he was expelled from Dhaka University including 9 others student leader of JCD (Student wing of BNP) forever on charge of violence in campus. Now he is organizing secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He was born on 1 January 1961 in the renowned village of Ramdhana, Biswanath, District Sylhet, in an eminent Muslim family. His father's name was Al Hajj Muhammad Wasib Ali and his mother's name is Begum Surjaban Bibi. His paternal grandfather's name was Shah Karamotullah Talukdar and the name of his great grandfather was Shadullah Talukdar and great great grandfather's name was Sheikh Danis Muhammad. Sheik Danis's father's name was Sheikh Dinu Muhammad who was a landlord and famous person for his area . But after fall down of last Nabab Siraj-Ud-Doula the British East India company had took over power of Bengal . After taking power they had formed new law and imposed unreasonable taxes on nation . which was repression on the Bengali Nation . He protested and organized the repressive people then revolted against the British East India Company. At this stage the British East India Company had seized all land properties of Sheik Dinu Muhammad. But he did not compromise with British administration. Ilias Ali's maternal grandmothers forefather was associate of Hazrat Shahjalal (Rahmotulla Alaihee)
Education
At an early stage he took lessons of Qur'an from his mother. Ali did his primary education from Ramdhana Govt. Primary School. He passed his SSC in 1977 from Ramshundor Pilot High School, Bishwanath Upazila. And passed his HSC in 1979 from Sylhet Govt. College. He graduated B.Com (Hons) from Dhaka University in 1985 from department of Finance. He was also a student of M.Com (Masters) in Dhaka University in department of Banking, But later he was expelled from Dhaka University because of leading student movement against the Martial law during H.M. Ershad period
Personal life
M.Ilias Ali has two sons and a daughter. His wife Mrs. Tahsina Rushdir is currently an Assistant Registrar in Dhaka University. Elder son Abrar Elias is currently studying in Notredame college, Dhaka, And Younger son Labib Sharar is Studying in class X in Dhaka Residential Model College. The youngest child Saiara Nawal Studies in Dhaka Manarat School and College in Class II.
Student Politics & Prison Life
He started his political career from the year 1980 by the student wing of BNP(Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal). He was a residential student of Kobi Joshim Uddin hall of Dhaka University. At first he became leader of Kobi Joshim Uddin Hall and then became the central executive member of Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal(JCD) in the year 1983.
National Council of Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal was held in the year of 1986 in which he was elected as the International Affairs Secretary of Central Executive of Committee. At that time JCD was the Most powerful and stronger than any other student organization of the country. For the anti autocrat vigorous movement Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal was vanguard of uncompromising leader Begum Khaleda Zia . This is why Military dictator Ershad targeted the Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal and repressed on student wing of BNP(JCD). Dictator Erhsad expelled 9 student leaders of JCD from the Dhaka University in the year of 1987 including Ilias Ali. Simultaneously the military dictator Ershad govt issued warrant against him on false cases . Then he arrested from his own village residence in the year of 1988 . After seven months of prison life he released from jail by the order supreme court . After freed he did not stop anti govt activities . After few months he arrested again from Dhaka University Campus in the year of 1989 . Then he got bail from High court and released from Dhaka central jail . Repeatedly he was harassing by the Govt . In the year of 1990 and month of February he was arrested from "Modhu's" canteen. When JCD had prepared for a procession. After Being arrested, whole campus became violent and there was a collision between students and police. The whole campus turned into a battlefield. The police fired rubber bullets and tear cell. And it had been continued for a day long. The month of July of that year, he was released from Jail by the order of the Supreme Court. In the meantime the anti Ershad Movement turned into a mass upsurge. Begum Khaleda Zia was leading the anti Ershad movement as an uncompromising leader of the nation. Simultaneously JCD was the vanguard of the movement. This is why dictator Ershad arrested a large number of student leaders and workers from the whole country and Ilias Ali was arrested again from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman hall of Dhaka University. In the meantime the anti Ershad movement matured and Dr. Milon died by the bullet of a police. And Ershad was bound to resign from his Presidency. Lastly 6 December 1990 dictator Ershad had resigned and chief justice Shahabuddin took over power as a president of caretaker government. Then Ilias Ali was released from Dhaka Central jail in the same day along with his colleague's. The year 1992 the national council of JCD was again held and he was elected General Secretary of Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal(Student wing of Bangladesh Nationalist Party) by the councilors vote.
Start Mainstream Politics
He hails from Bishwanath Upazila and represent Sylhet-2 in parliament.He was also a student leader of Dhaka University during 1980s. He was elected as a member of the Parliament in the 6th Parliament. In the election of 2001 he participated and won that election by a difference of approx. 49000 votes. As he was elected organizing secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party(B.N.P), 1 January 2010. And he got a grand reception from his own district Sylhet on 14 January at the historical place of Sylhet Registry Field. In the 5th national council of Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP)which was held in 8 December 2009. M. Ilias Ali gave the speech as president of Sylhet district BNP.And he was the first speaker of the 2nd session of close door sitting. In his speech he motivated 3000 councilors to give authority to chairperson of BNP Begum Khaleda Zia for electing the leadership of the party and it was accepted unanimously by the councilors. He also proposed the leadership promotion of Tarique Rahman and it was also accepted unanimously by the councilors. Ilias Ali quoted that " If Ex British Prime Minister Tony Blair & American president Barack Obama and Ex President Bill Clinton can achieve the leadership of their countries by the age of 40/45, why not Tarique Rahman". He was praised by the councilor for his great speech.
Rivalry With Saifur Rahman
In the year of 2005 and 2006, there was a leadership confliction which had started within Sylhet BNP in between the influential finance minister of BNP govt. M. Saifur Rahman and Member of parliament Ilias Ali.Earlier party High command made convener Ilias Ali for Sylhet District BNP. After got the leadership Ilias Ali became popular to the leader and workers within the Sylhet politics. But little portion was not tolerating of Ilias Ali's position. AT this stage somebody was involved in conspiracy.They had started whispering to Saifur against Ilias. But Ilias Ali always loyal to senior leader Saifur Rahman. Though Ilias Ali was loyal to Saifur Rahman, but Saifur was not taking its easily political groom up of Ilias Ali. He was going to annoyed to Ilias Ali by some others conspiracies. At a stage of this confliction Saifur Rahman demanded expulsion of Ilias Ali to prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, in an interview with a private television channel 31 May 2006, Saifur said, "I have already placed 11 national budgets and another is coming next week...I do not want to continue and this may be the end of my innings." "I have told the prime minister that I want to resign. It cannot go on that the young boys in the party should hurl abuses at me or disrespect me," Saifur was quoted earlier as saying in his interviews with the TV channels and newspapers. Ilias Ali's supporters, however, termed such demonstrations and Saifur's resignation threat a strategy to put pressures on the BNP high command. "The resignation threat was just a strategy to put pressure to ensure Ilyas Ali's expulsion," said a BNP leader of Sylhet. "Saifur Rahman was worried about his son Naser Rahman's future in the party and considers Ilias an opponent in the district's party politics," he added. That situation was really embarrassing for Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The fierce rivalry between BNP lawmakers Saifur Rahman and M Ilyas Ali finally compelled the ruling party to dissolve the convening committee of its Sylhet district unit.
Though the party dissolved the committee led by Ilias, it also limited the influence of veteran finance minister Saifur in party politics in the district. Party lawmakers from Sylhet will now coordinate organisational activities in their respective consistencies, and thana BNP leaders in cooperation with central leaders will do the job in the areas that do not have party lawmakers- a BNP press release. "No lawmaker will interfere in party activities in areas other than his constituency," it added. A BNP leader told The Daily Star that the party action would go in favour of Saifur but at the same time the senior leader will have no scope to interfere in BNP politics in Sylhet. Party sources said Saifur was so angry with his junior rival Ilias that he wanted to avoid National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on health grounds. "The prime minister telephoned Saifur Rahman and assured him of taking steps to resolve the crisis". "I have informed the prime minister about my grievances and she has assured me of looking into the matter," Saifur told reporters after the NEC meeting. He said this when asked about his reported threat to resign if the party did not take punitive action against Ilias. At the same time Ilias Ali was called by Prime Minister Office. Ilias Ali was seated with prime Minister in presence of Secretary General Mannan Bhuyan. In that sitting Begum Khaleda Zia took decision to dissolved the Sylhet Dist unit BNP. This political rivalry had spread out also elite suppoters of Sylhet BNP. When contacted, Ilias said he had talks the BNP chairperson on organizational matters in Sylhet district. He declined to comment on discord with Saifur. Earlier on May 28 last year, Sylhet BNP convening committee was suspended in the wake a spate of discord between loyalist of the two leaders. In the latest conflict, some activists reportedly backed by Ariful (loyal to Saifur) ransacked the residence of Ilias at Sylhet on Wednesday following his reported remarks on the finance minister. The rival sides clashed in the city next day and activists backed by Ilias demonstrated against the finance minister, blaming him for the attack on Ilias' house.
Aggrieved at this, Saifur threatened to resign unless action was not taken against Ilias Ali and told pressmen he would not placed National Budget. At that time Saifur uttered slang language about Ilias Ali. simultenously his son Naser was also using rubbish words on Ilias Ali, It was open secret that his over ambitious son Naser and follower Ariful was specially involved in behind of conflict between Saifur and Ilias. Saifur Rahman was also anxious about future politics of his son. So he was trying to promote his son more than Ilias Ali. As a result veteran politician and Finance Minister Saifur Rahman implicated himself in contradiction, which was unfortunate for Sylhet BNP..In that situation Sylhet Divissoin BNP had divided in to two fraction under the leadership of Saifur and Ilias. Again Saifur meets with the Prime Minister and express his grievances. Prime Minister advised him for calm and quiet. Lastly Begum Khaleda Zia and other senior leaders of the party did not agree with saifur's demand. And Ilias Ali was not expelled from the Party. After placed the budget Saifur Rahman had attend a meeting in sylhet town, which was organise by the name of Elite Soceity of Sylhet. In that meeting, Saifur said that, I did not demand expulsion of Ilias Ali, It was exaggeration of press media. In one of the Daily Samakal in Bangladesh, an article was published about rivalry between Saifur Rahman & Ilias Ali regarding a news published in Wikileaks. Ilias Ali fought against Saifur Rahman backed by Tarique Rahman son of Begum Khaleda Zia. In the year of 2005, 8 August this information was sent to White House by American Embassy's Charge de affairs Judith Tomas in his diplomatic news.
Emergency Regime and Repression
In the year 11 January 2007 the caretaker government declared Emergency Law. After the promulgation of the Emergency Law under the leadership of President Iajuddin Ahmed backed by the Bangladesh Army and the supervision of the Army Chief Moin U Ahmed. After proclamation of the Emergency Law, Mr. Fakruddin was made the Chief Advisor of the government. By the direction of Moin U Ahmed, the whole politicians and businessmen of the country was tortured physically in prison and repressed in many ways. And they started corruption and started taking money illegaly. Then the then government arrested BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Mr. Tarique Rahman and immediate past Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The government also arrested many BNP leaders and former Ministers and Parliament Members. The government tried to exile Begum Zia to Saudi Arabia, but failed because of the uncompromising attitude of Begum Zia. At that time many Ex Ministers and MPs shoke hands the then government and stood against Begum Zia and the main stream of BNP in the name of reformation of the Party. But then Ex MP, M Ilias Ali strongly stood beside Begum Zia and tried to uphold the existence of BNP under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia. He also opposed the betrayers who went to against Begum Zia in crucial moment of BNP and ZIA family.
For this reason the government started to harass him and logged cases against him. The government tried to humiliate his family members and logged graft case against him including his innocent wife. So he then went to fugitive life. After long 19 months he got bail 28 July 2008 along with his wife from the High Court bench of justice Sharif Uddin Chakladar and justice Emdadul Haque Azad. He also got bail 10 August 2008 from other cases the same bench of the High Court.
9th Parliament Election
The ninth parliament election was held on 29 December 2009. Awamileague candidate Shafikur rahman got 109000 votes. on the contrary Ilias Ali got 106000 votes. Which was never expected by the people of Sylhet.The day of election Majistrate, polling, presiding officers, and law enforcing agencies as police, Rab, BDR, Ansar, and Army those who were the striking force for election, they were directly in favour of awami league. The very next day local people of Ashugonj area found a large number of abandoned ballot papers which had sealed in symbol of DHANER SHEESH beside the dohal primary school vote centre. these abandoned ballot papers collected by the locality and they handed them over to its BNP candidate Ilias Ali. This news widely spread in the country. Ilias Ali came to Dhaka in his party office with the ballot papers and held a press conference by the BNP secretary general khondaker Delowar Hossain. And secretary general of BNP shown the abandoned ballot papers in front of large number of journalists. And he protested seriously like this fake and fabricated election. For this reason the newly elected sheikh Hasina's govt lodged a case against Ilias Ali and other 50 leader and workers of Biswanath BNP. Ilias ali and 42 others got anticipatory bail from High Court bench on 19 January 2010. Justice Abdul Wahab Miah and Justice Delowar Hossain granted bail and also issued rule upon the govt to show cause within four weeks as to why the petitioner should not be granted permanent bail in this case. Barrister Moudud Ahmed appeared for Ilias Ali and others.
2006 Assassination Attempt
Ilias Ali narrowly escaped an assassination attempt 9 December 2006 at 9 O'clock night time by some unidentified gunmen. They shoot at his Pajero Jeep in-front of Osmaninagar Police station. It occurred shortly after his returning from an election campaign meeting in his constituency Shadipur-Goalabazar union. His jeep was going to Sylhet town from Osmaninagar area. The unidentified assailants fired at his Pajero Jeep on the Dhaka - Sylhet highway. Luckily he was unhurt but his Jeep was partially damaged in the attack. After this incident, instantly the highway was blocked by his supporters and B.N.P leader and workers. In a reaction Ilias Ali said that he was attacked by the opponent party Awamileague terrorists. He logged a criminal case in Osmaninagar police station, but unfortunately no investigation or action against the criminals is taken yet.
Hasina's Regime & Repression
After took over the power of the country, Awami Government started torture and repression on the opposition leader and workers. And they trying to severely eliminate BNP and others opposition.
Firstly in month of January, 2009 Govt lodged a conspiratory false case against Ilias Ali including 250 leader and workers of his party. Frequently they are harassing him with false cases. Because he was facing strongly all heinous activities of the government. Ilias Ali is most popular, prudent and uncompromising leader in Sylhet region and nationally. The month of December 2011 the govt lodged six false cases against him. The informant of the case didn't even know that, Ilias Ali was his accused. The Informant denied and protested that Ilias Ali was innocent and I never accused him. Even after these events the govt were harassing him continuously. Politically he was passing a crucial time in Awami regime. Because Sheikh Hasina's Government had reached the peak of fascism. Ilias Ali several time appeared in the High Court and was granted bail.
Hundreds of British-Bangladeshi people in 12 January 2012 gave a demonstration to Bangladesh High Commission in London in favour of Ilias Ali for the cancellation of false and conspiratory cases and also gave a memorandum to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh through the High Commissioner. They demanded to the Prime Minister, "These false cases should be removed immediately, otherwise we will arrange severe programs and will stop sending foreign remittance to Bangladesh."
Meeting with British Leaders
In the year of 2011 month of August Ilias Ali went to UK where he joined a large number of meeting with his fellow politicians and party members. Simultaneously he met with British politicians such as, Co-Chairman of British Conservative Party and Cabinet Minister of the British Govt.- Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, British Foreign Minister - William Hegue, Leader of the Opposition- Ed-Miliband,Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets- AM Ohid Ahmed, Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP, Rt Hon Kith Vaz MP, Rt Hon Tom Brake MP, Rt Hon Stephen Timms, Richard Fuller MP, Rushnara Ali MP, Shabana Mahmud MP, Yasmin Quraishi MP, Lord Nazir, Lord Qurbaan Hussain, Lord Morris. He raised to the British politicians the democracy and human rights is extremely violating in Bangladesh under the Awami league regime.As Bangladesh and the United Kingdom have a longstanding diplomatic relation. I Feel it is appropriate to highlight the grim situation of Bangladesh for your kind perusal with a great hope that you will utilize your strong diplomatic influence for the greater interest of Bangladeshi people. The present Government has evicted Opposition leader,Ex Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia from her house forcibly.Which was leased to her by the then Government after her husband president Ziaur Rahman was assassinated.The Government is harassing BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman by filing false cases.Because the Government consider him to be the real challenge to Prime Minister Sheik Hasina's leadership. The fascist government is convicting opposition leader's son Arafat Rahman koko by false and fabricated cases. Awami league Government is trying to destroy the late President Ziaur Rahman's family.
The present government has arrested Senior Member of Parliament Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and tortured him severely.His nail were taken off and skin was cut by blade.Ex Home Minister Lutfujjaman Babor, Mirza Abbas was arrested by this Govt.BNP leader and Ward Councillor of Dhaka city corporation Chowdhury Alom was arrested by police and then disappeared.The government is continuously excessive use of force on opposition rallies journalist. After they came to power extrajudicial killing is going on.419 persons have been cross fired by law enforcing agencies.The present government is suppressing freedom of expression.They have been arrested the largely circulated news paper editor Mahmudur Rahman and tortured him in police custody. They are trying to kill the democracy by returning to the One-Party System as it was introduced in the past by their leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who had removed the multiparty democracy by introducing "BAKSHAL". He raised to the British Politicians, recently the present govt. amended the constitution and eliminated the caretaker system which will be the barrier of free-fair and credible election for Bangladesh. They listened to it very attentively and gave commitment to raise it in-front of the British authority and the Bangladesh Govt.
Organizer of Long March towards Sylhet Border
For saving precious land of Bangladesh at the border of sylhet the long march was held. The event was organized in 1 October 2011 by the former MP and Sylhet District BNP President M. Ilias Ali. Which was under the banner of "Amra Shimantabashi". The editor of "Daily Amardesh" Mahmudur Rahman was the Chief Guest of the long march. It was organized to protest against the Indian aggression, to save Bangladesh's land and to stop the killings of Bangladeshi citizens. Awamileague After became in power, India is regularly stealing the crops, taking advantage of the poor citizens living at the border. A long march to protest alleged move to hand over Bangladesh lands along Sylhet-Meghalaya and Sylhet-Assam borders to the Indians in the name of joint survey was held in the city yesterday. Starting at 12.00 noon from Sylhet Government Aliya Madrasha field, thousands of people all over 1500 vehicles including private cars, micro-buses, trucks and buses. And thousands of Motorbike concluded their 55KM long march at Jaflong- Amir Miya High School Field.At the end of the Historical Long March there was a rally surrounding Lacs(100 Thousand) of people in which Ilias Ali addressed along with Mahmudur Rahman to state that " WE WILL GIVE OUR LIFE BUT NOT AN INCH OF LAND" pointing their fingers to India. The speakers alleged that in the name of resolving the border trouble, the AL-led government handed over the lands of the bordering people to the Indians. Survey officials of Bangladesh and Indians from Meghalaya and Assam carried out a joint border survey and demarcated adversely possessed lands (APL) at different points recently. After many hassles and troubles, things were completed. But still the Indian Khasias and others, including BSF, had been barring Bangladeshi nationals from ploughing croplands and fishing in their water bodies on Jaintapur and Gowainghat borders. Besides, two Bangladeshis were shot dead and at least 20 others injured in clashes during the last two months in the region. Locals under the forum 'Amra Simantabashi' have been raising protest against the survey alleging handing over of lands to the Indians. However, the forum is mainly dominated by the opposition leaders in the region.
Organizer of Road-March Towards Sylhet
The Road-march programme towards Sylhet was declared by Begum Khaleda Zia and its co-ordinator was selected to Ilias Ali and he was also Organizer of Sylhet Aliyah Madrasha's grand rally. For his responsibility, he has taken its seriously and tried to make it biggest crowd . And he moved every thana's, union's of the Sylhet district . Balagonj thana BNP Organize a meeting and Ilias Ali was the Chief guest for this event . While Mr. Ilias Ali delivering speech to the party members he appealed to all the members of the party to turn both Begum Khaleda Zia’s road march which was to be held on the 10th of October and the public speech to be provided by her at the premises of Alia Madrasha on the 11th of October, into the biggest public gathering of recent times. Later in two separate members’ meetings, at 2.00 pm in Osmanynagar Thana and at 4.00pm in Bishwanath Thana respectively, Mr. Mirja Abbas, the Standing Committee member of BNP, was present as a chief guest, while the Organising Secretary of BNP, Mr. Ilias Ali was also present as a special guest.
In giving his speech, Mr. Mirja Abbas acknowledged the hard work and effort of Mr. Ilias Ali and stated that Mr. Ilias Ali’s initiative in establishing Begum Khleda Zia’s road march and public speech as a milestone step in the protest against the Opposition Government is definitely praiseworthy and he came to the members’ meetings to provide support to Mr Ilias Ali. As part of the huge ongoing preparations for Begum Khaleda Zia’s road march in Sylhet, member of the Standing Committee, Dr. Khondoker Mosharof Hossain also participated and delivered speech as a chief guest at the members’ meeting of 7 October 2011. The meeting which was held at the Shahjalal Community Centre of the Shahjalal Uposohar in Sylhet, was chaired by the Organising Secretary of the Central Committee of BNP Mr. M Ilias Ali, who is also the President of the Sylhet District BNP. All the political leaders of Sylhet Division along with the key members of the party were present at the event. Mr Mirja Abbas, Major General (Retd) Ruhul Alam Chowdhury and Joint Secretary Mr. Md Shahjahan Were present at the event as special guest. In order to make Begum Khaleda Zia’s Sylhet road-march and public-meeting a success, a leaflet distributing event was carried out in Sylhet City, lead by Mr. Ilias Ali. District and City level political leaders of BNP also participated in the distribution of leaflets with Mr. Ilias Ali. Among other places, leaflets were also distributed in the key areas of Bondor Bazar, Court Point, Zindabazar, Amborkhana and others. In answering the question posed by the print and electronic media journalists, Mr. Ilias Ali said that the police were tearing up the posters in the darkness of the night and were also harassing the party members. Despite all these Mr. Ilias Ali was determined to make Begum Khaleda Zia’s road march and public meeting a huge success and in doing so overturn the cruel rule of the government from the holy land of Shah Jalal and Shah Poran. A press conference was held by BNP lead 4 party alliance in 9 October at the Sylhet City as part of the preparations to make the road-march and public-meeting a success. Among others, leaders of the BNP, Jamayat Islami, Islami Oikkojot, Khelafot Mojlish, Jamayat Ulamay Islam were present at the press conference.
In his speech Mr. Ilias Ali said that the Government was using the their institution in carrying out conspiracies to jeopardise BNP’s political mission. He further stated that, the BNP lead 4 party alliance’s member and leaders deeply condemn these acts and appealed them to keep out of unlawful activities.
Sylhet Visit of Khaleda Zia Challenge for Ilias Ali
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is leading a much anticipated anti-government road-march tomorrow from Dhaka to Sylhet. She is supposed to deliver a speech in the public-gathering organized by the Four-Party Alliance to take place the next day at the grounds of Alia Madrasha. She is coming to Sylhet for the first time since the ninth National Parliamentary Election was held. The members of the BNP party are considering Begum Khaleda Zia’s tour for this event as a challenge for the Organizing Secretary responsible for Sylhet Division, Mr. M Ilias Ali. On Monday, Begum Khaleda Zia will assess Mr. Ilias Ali, regarding his ability to unite the devastated Sylhet BNP post the 9/11 incident. Mr. Ilias Ali is also not sitting idle and is doing everything possible to make the post road-march public-gathering a success. Since dawn till late at night Mr. Ilias Ali is roaming from various areas to the deep interiors of the city. The BNP lead four Party Alliance candidates had a disastrous defeat in all nineteen seats of Sylhet Division in the last Ninth National Parliamentary Election. Mr. Ilias Ali was vested with the responsibility to put in order the disordered Sylhet BNP. After becoming the Organizing Secretary of the Central Committee of Sylhet division, the first task that Mr. Ilias Ali concentrated in doing was to unite the BNP leaders and members under one umbrella. He then rigorously visited the entire cross-section of almost all Thana's of the Sylhet district . The half-asleep leaders and members were awakened and became motivated by Mr. Ilias Ali ‘spell of unity’. After being given this responsibility, Mr. Ilias Ali had to face his first challenge which was the by-election. In order to achieve victory for the party nominated candidate, Mr. Ilias Ali campaigned at all municipal corporations. Among the sixteen municipal corporation fourteen candidates stood from BNP and among them nine gained victory. The spirit of the municipal-election was yet to be gone, when Mr. Ilias was faced with his second challenge, the Hobiganj-1 seat by-election. He snatched victory for the party-nominated candidate, Mr. Sheikh Sujat Miah, by acting on his behalf day and night. Even in the Union-Election, the result that BNP got was better than expected. However, the upcoming road-march and public-gathering of Begum Khaleda Zia on Monday is proving to be a much bigger challenge than any of the previous ones. In order to ascertain the participation of five lakh people in the public-gathering, public-communication, meeting, leaflet distribution and announcements are being carried out in all Districts and Thana's along with Slyhet City. The leaders and members of BNP are also in a festive mood. Mr. Ilias Ali wishes to present Begum Khaleda Zia with the Human sea in Sylhet, by utilizing the enthusiasm of the motivated leaders and members of Sylhet BNP.
With a view to make this challenge successful, the leaders and members of the opposition ring have also joined with him. According to the leaders and members of the party, if the expected number of people fail to gather in Begum Khaleda Zia’s public-meeting, all his achievements will be in vain. In the context of the road-march and public-meeting Mr. Ilias Ali said that, Protestants have started becoming vocal. People are looking forward to participate in Begum Khaleda Zia’s public-meeting in order to protest the failure, institutionalisation and corruption of the present government. Mr. Ilias Ali is not taking the success of Begum Khaleda Zia’s public-meeting as only his challenge. In his words, ‘This is a challenge for the patriotic citizens of Bangladesh to protect the sovereignty of the nation’s freedom’. He is hopeful that the public-meeting of Sylhet will exceed the public-gathering of the public-meeting which took place in Dhaka.
Ilias Ali presided over Khaleda Zia's Rally in Sylhet
Begum Khaleda Zia started road-march on 10 October, whole day she addressed large number of meetings and reached in Sylhet at midnight . She hold at Sylhet circuit house . 11 October there was a scheduled grand public rally at Aliya Madrasha field Before reaching the venue of the of the meeting at around 4.00pm . The opposition leader visited the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R)and Hazrat Shah Paran (R) and offered prayers . The City was decorated with gates, banners and festoons, wall covered with posters . The meeting was presided over by central organizing secretary and Sylhet district unit BNP president M Ilias Ali where several senior leaders of the party and its political ally and like minded party addressed the meeting. In his speech as a chairman of the meeting Mr. Ilias Ali said that the Senior Vice Chairman of BNP Mr. Tareq Zia should be brought back to his motherland Bangladesh through protest and rebellion as a hero of the country.
Mr. Ilias Ali stated that- after one eleven, rulers of that time arrested Mr. Tareq Zia and tortured in remand and broke his backbone. According to Mr. Ilias Ali, the military backed undemocratic rulers not only broke Mr. Tareq Zia’s Backbone, in fact they also broke the backbone of the entire Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP. He said that this has to be revenged by removing the Sheikh Hasina from power. Mr. Ilias Ali appealed to Begum Khaleda Zia for huge developments to be carried out in Sylhet in the future, when BNP shall come to power and become the Government of Bangladesh. Mr. Ilias Ali had the following slogan at Aliya Ground: Over are the days of Sheikh Hasina’s tyranny- Now its time for Begum Khaleda Zia to rule the country in harmony. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia today urged the people to take to the streets and build a vigorous movement against the government and vowed not to return home before unseating the ‘repressive’ government. Addressing a huge rally at the spacious Aliyah Madrasha ground today marking the end of her road march from Dhaka to “this city of saints”, the leader of the opposition exhorted the people, particularly the younger generation, to unite against the government to “ protect the independence, sovereignty and democracy”, which are under threat.
The road march began on Monday morning and reached Sylhet at midnight of Monday traveling through six districts and holding public rallies and street rallies on the way. Her fifty-minute speech was punctuated by bursts of applause from the audience. “ I expect our road march programme will be successful with the spontaneous participation of younger people from all walks of life. Today’s four-party rally was billed by the sponsors as the largest in recent times. The Aliyah Madrasha ground was filled up and a large crowd of people spilled over to the nearby streets. Thousands of people watched the meeting from roof tops and on big-screen projectors. Before reaching the venue of the meeting at around 4:00pm, the opposition leader visited the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal ( R) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R) and offered prayers. The entire Sylhet city bustled with people . Traffic congestion paralysed traffic movement. The city was decorated with gates, banners and festoons, walls covered with posters. BNP chairperson said the countrymen had taken part in the liberation war in 1971 not to establish a subservient state. “The government wants to sell the country. But they would not get the chance to do that. We don’t want to turn the country into a provincial setup of India,” she said.
The Rally of Sylhet turned into a Human Sea
The north-eastern city of Sylhet turned into a human sea on 11 October 2011 as thousands of activists and supporters of the opposition parties swarmed the streets to attend opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s rally at Alia Madrassah ground. Many people said it was the biggest rally in the city since the Awami League had assumed office in January 2009. And they said that Ilias Ali is an extraordinary Organizer and this was possible only by his endeavour. Begum Khaleda Zia also praised him for his best performance. People started pouring into the Alia Madrassah ground from before midday and the crowd spilled on to the surroundings from Zindabazar point to Ambarkhana, Dariapara to Shaheed Shamsuddin Hospital, Payra to Alia Madrassah and Rikabibazar to Chowhatta and Chowhatta to Mirbuxtula in the city. Open spaces in front of the shopping malls, Shahid Shamsuddin Hospial and other public and private organisations at Chowhatta, Dargah Gate, Dargah
Mahalla, Stadium Market, Mirboxtula and Zindabazar were also jam-packed before the BNP chairperson arrived at the venue at around 2:50pm. A large number of activists and supporters of the four-party alliance joined the rally from different parts of Sylhet city and Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamganj districts in processions chanting slogans, beating drums and carrying portraits of Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. They also carried the BNP’s election symbol ‘sheaf of paddy’. Abdus Salam, a ward unit BNP president of Dakkhin Surma, who led a procession towards Alia Madrassah at 10:15am, said they were attending the rally to make it successful and express their support to Khaleda Zia.
Rahman Ali, a tea-stall owner at Biswanath, said he was attending the rally keeping his business closed to hear Khaleda Zia. Basir Miah, a vendor, said that a poor person like him did not understand political ideologies. ‘What we want is security of food and shelter.’ Sifat Ullah, an elderly man from Kamalganj of Moulvibazar, told New Age that he was attending the rally to know the next anti-government programmes from Khaleda Zia. ‘The people are suffering because Sheikh Hasina’s government has failed to contain prices of essentials,’ he added. Buses and microbuses carrying the participants from far-flung areas of the division caused a severe traffic congestion. Around three thousand vehicles of Khaleda’s road march convoy reached Sylhet around midnight on Monday. President of this meeting Ilias Ali said, "The Present government has shackled the opposition leader and workers. He urged Khaleda Zia to ensure that the Awamileague leaders will be detained and shackled when BNP takes over the power of the country. In response Khaleda Zia quipped, the demand has to be fulfilled as peoples want this.
Ilias Ali Proved Himself
In the epic public-gathering which took place at greater Sylhet, Mr. Ilias Ali, the Organizing Secretary of BNP Central Committee, has shown ‘how to shape the political game’. He has played a ‘fantastic innings’. Bringing to an end the party’s internal conflict and protest, he has managed by his actions, to wake up the hibernating BNP party of the entire Sylhet division. He organized the biggest public meeting of recent times in the modern-day at Sylhet by hosting it in a magnificent, proper and immaculate manner. He organized this epic public-gathering at the local grounds of Alia Madrasha. Despite the exhaustion which rendered him ill, he continued to work towards making the public-gathering a success ignoring his illness. He did his very best to host the thousands of guests who had arrived for the public-gathering. He arranged for their food and accommodation at Sylhet by renting all the residential hotels and ten community centre's. The Chairperson of BNP Begum Khaleda Zia was extremely delighted by Mr. Ilias Ali’s efficient management skills. She called him at the Circuit House and specially thanked him for all these. After almost three years of the Government Alliance, this epic political event which was headed by Begum Khaleda Zia took place in Sylhet. On the other hand, Mr. Ilias Ali organized an event of such magnitude for the first time after the demise of the experienced politician and the political guardian of greater Sylhet, late Saifur Rahman. After witnessing the public-gathering of yesterday, even Mr. Ilias Ali’s opponents praised him without any hesitation for organizing such an event.
Initiator of Movement against Tepaimukh Dam
M. Ilias Ali, organizing secretary of BNP announced a series of programmes, including a day long hartal in the district and also demanded immediate cancellation of the project saying that it would cause serious havoc in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh. The programme include, mass rally in Court point area and procession in the city on November 24, procession and rally at upazilla level on November 26, procession by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at the city on November 27, rally and procession by Jatiyatabadi Shechhasebak Dal in the city on November 28, rally and procession by the district and city BNP and other front organizations on November 30 and hartal in the district and upazilas on December 1. He Said,the strike has been called to protect the basic rights of the people for north-east zone. And declared that, " Tepai dam will be opposed even we have to sacrifice our life, if this dam is build, millions of human life and 1/3 of Bangladeshi land will be destroyed ".He urged all political party including Awami League and social and cultural organizations to protest the Indian move to build Tepaimukh Dam. And also announced that as long as the construction of Tepaimukh dam is not stopped, movement will go on . Ilias Ali told an interview in daily news paper " Tepaimukh dam is our life and death problem , So we shall continue our movement until construction of dam would not be stopped "
Observed Spontaneous Hartal in Sylhet
A dawn to dusk hartal (strike) protesting the government inaction on Tipaimukh project was enforced at Sylhet on Thursday (1 December 2011) by district and city BNP peacefully and without any untoward incident . It was spontaneous and vigorous hartal in Sylhet. All walks of life had participated and the street was most agitated by procession. At the end of the hartal anti Tipaimukh Dam movement leader, BNP central organizing secretary and sylhet district president M.Ilias Ali announced another 18 days program including human chain, token hunger strike all over the Sylhet Division and grand rally at Amalshid point of Zakigonj through which Barak river enters in to Bangladesh. And he declared that anti Tipaimukh dam movement will continue until and unless the dam is stopped. Ilias Ali said its our life and death problem, that's why we should have to fight for our existence.
Disappearance
On Tuesday the 17th of April, 2012, Ilias Ali disappeared along with his driver while both were in his car, along; he remains missing and there have been a series of general strikes orchestrated by the BNP party members in Sylhet in protest for his kidnap; BNP members have also clashed with police in the capital Dhaka over his kidnap. There is speculation that government secret agents were responsible, and Ilias Ali's family have appealed for any information anyone can shed as to his whereabouts
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