Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque yesterday said none of the law enforcement agencies had arrested BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, who remains traceless for more than four days.

“Police did not arrest him … no law enforcement agencies arrested him,” the IGP said.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by “Journey,” a voluntary organisation that researches on liberation war and education sector, at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban at Dhaka University.   

According to Salahuddin's family, some plainclothes men showed identity cards of the Detective Branch of police and picked up the BNP joint secretary general from a house in the capital's Uttara on Tuesday night.

Later, law enforcers and State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the media that they were unaware of the BNP leader going missing. 

The IGP yesterday said, "He [Salahuddin] was wanted and we had been looking for him as he stands accused in different cases. But we could not trace him.”

He said they were looking into Salahuddin's family allegation that he is traceless.

“We are investigating to find out how he [Salahuddin] went missing. If he is really missing, then it's our duty to find him out,” Shahidul  said.

Hasina Ahmed, Salahuddin's wife, said on Wednesday she went to the Uttara [West] Police Station, but police did not accept her general diary in connection with her husband going “missing”.

Following a petition by her, the High Court on Thursday asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to trace and produce Salahuddin before the court at 10:30am today.

Salahuddin, a former state minister, frequently announced hartals by issuing press releases on behalf of the BNP-led 20-party alliance.