Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission files formal request to repatriate former police chief Benazir Ahmed
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Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has finalized the documentation required to facilitate the extradition of former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, who was reportedly arrested in Dubai last month. The commission formally submitted its request to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, marking a critical step in the legal effort to bring the former official back to face an array of criminal charges.
According to investigative sources, the request package includes comprehensive evidence detailing allegations of corruption, illicit wealth accumulation, money laundering, and passport forgery. The Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to forward these documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will then initiate the diplomatic process to petition the government of the United Arab Emirates for his handover.
Benazir Ahmed, who fled Bangladesh with his family on May 4, was reportedly taken into custody in Dubai on June 12. Following his arrest, the UAE government notified Bangladeshi authorities via email. Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury confirmed the development in parliament on Sunday, noting that the extradition request must be submitted within 30 days of the arrest to remain legally viable.
The former police chief currently faces six separate cases involving corruption and fraud. Investigators have already filed a charge sheet in one case concerning the acquisition of assets disproportionate to his known income. These legal records, alongside the INTERPOL ‘Red Notice’ previously issued against him, form the core of the state’s extradition filing.
Ahmed’s career was marked by rapid ascent through the security apparatus during the tenure of the now-ousted Awami League government. He served as the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police from 2010 to 2015 and later as the Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from 2015 to 2020, before serving as Inspector General of Police until his retirement in September 2022.
In December 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on RAB and seven of its current and former officers, including Ahmed, citing serious human rights violations. Despite these international pressures, corruption allegations only gained formal traction in early 2024, prompting the ACC to launch an inquiry shortly before Ahmed departed the country.
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