NN Online:
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Sunday reflected on the sacrifices and struggles of BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed and his family, lamenting that many—especially some of BNP’s “young and increasingly intolerant activists”—have forgotten those pivotal chapters in the party’s 17-year-long political journey.
“In recent days, we’ve seen disgraceful smear campaigns targeting Salahuddin,” Alam wrote in a post from his verified Facebook account. “But we must not forget that his sacrifices came during some of the most repressive years of Sheikh Hasina’s rule—years that tested the very fabric of our political resistance.”
Alam expressed concern that the passage of time and relative political calm have led many to overlook the contributions made during darker periods. “Good times seem to erase the worst memories,” he noted.
He recalled the traumatic events of early 2015, when Salahuddin was allegedly abducted and subjected to enforced disappearance. During that time, his wife, Hasina Ahmed, played what Alam described as a “heroic role” in advocating for his release.
“Her relentless fight was among the bravest,” Alam said, placing her alongside Hazera Khatun and her daughters from the ‘Mayer Daak’ movement, who also protested against enforced disappearances under Sheikh Hasina’s regime.
Alam suggested that Hasina Ahmed’s tireless campaigning may have played a key role in pressuring security forces to send Salahuddin across the border to Shillong, India, where he eventually resurfaced.
He further mentioned that just weeks before his abduction, Salahuddin had taken on the role of BNP spokesperson from an undisclosed location—an act that made him a prime target during those politically turbulent times.
