BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has warned that the government will face "dire consequences" if it does not return missing BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed to his family or produce him before court.

"Twelve days have passed since law enforcers picked up the BNP joint secretary general, but the authorities are yet to release him, produce him in court or even admit his arrest," Khaleda said in a statement yesterday.

"Law enforcers had talks with local youths, security guards and the caretaker of the building before they whisked away Salahuddin Ahmed. There are many eyewitnesses of the operation. Therefore, there is no way to avoid responsibility by denying the arrest," said the statement, signed by Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel.

Meanwhile, Salahuddin's wife Hasina Ahmed yesterday renewed her call on the prime minister to order law enforcers to return her husband.

"I have proof that law enforcement agencies have picked up my husband. And I believe I will get him back if the prime minister orders the law enforcers to return him," she told a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club.

"Eyewitnesses of the incident like security guards and domestic helps of the house have disappeared [after the incident]. I cannot trace them either," Hasina claimed.

Family members allege plainclothes law enforcers flashing identity cards of detectives picked up Salahuddin from a house in Uttara on March 10. 

Following a petition by his wife with the High Court, five law enforcement agencies submitted five reports to the attorney general's office on March 15, saying they did not arrest the BNP leader.

On Thursday, Hasina Ahmed submitted a memorandum to the PM, seeking her intervention to trace her husband.

She also sought an appointment with the premier, but is yet to get one, she told this correspondent.

ARREST OVER RUMOUR

Detectives yesterday arrested two people in Chittagong for spreading rumours about Salahuddin's whereabouts.

They are Mokhlesur Rahman, 28, of Jamalpur, and Alim Sikder, 27, of Jhalakathi.

On Thursday night, the two called the Uttara police to say that Salahuddin was found in a remote area of Fulchhari upazila of Gaibandha in a critical condition. They also asked the police to inform the family about it and send them Tk 50,000 for the BNP leader's treatment.

Gaibandha police searched different chars of the upazila that night, but could not find Salahuddin.

Finding the call to be a hoax, detectives traced the two and arrested them from their rented houses in the port city.

During primary interrogation, the duo admitted that they made the call for money, police said.