Former Bangladesh Police Chief Benazir Ahmed Faces Ongoing Graft Trial as 15th Witness Testifies
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A witness has testified in the corruption case against former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, marking the 15th deposition in the ongoing legal proceedings. The testimony was recorded on Thursday by Judge Abdullah Al Mamun of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-5.
Md. Faisal Kabir, an assistant director at the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC), provided his account before the court. According to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) counsel Mir Ahmed Ali Salam, 15 out of 28 scheduled witnesses have now testified in the case. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 17.
The legal action against the former police chief stems from a high-profile investigation launched by the ACC following public allegations of graft shortly before the collapse of the Awami League government in 2024. Benazir Ahmed fled the country as the inquiry intensified. The case was formally filed on December 15 by ACC Deputy Director Hafizul Islam. Following an investigation, a formal charge sheet was submitted on November 30, accusing Ahmed of acquiring illicit wealth, concealing assets, and money laundering.
The court took cognizance of the charges on March 8 and issued an arrest warrant. With Ahmed failing to appear in court, a formal trial commenced on May 3 in his absence.
The ACC charge sheet alleges that while Ahmed declared 6.45 crore taka in immovable and 5.74 crore taka in movable assets, the investigation uncovered significantly higher figures: 7.52 crore taka in immovable and 8.15 crore taka in movable assets. After accounting for his legitimate income of 6.59 crore taka and subsequent expenditures, investigators concluded that he amassed approximately 11.04 crore taka in assets beyond his known sources of income.
The investigative findings further detail that the former official obscured the origins and ownership of these assets by laundering funds through various bank accounts, business enterprises, and joint-stock investments.
Following an Interpol Red Notice issued at the request of the ACC, Benazir Ahmed was reportedly apprehended by police in Dubai on June 12. The Bangladesh government has since initiated formal diplomatic efforts to secure his extradition, including an official request sent to the authorities in the United Arab Emirates.
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