Internal business disputes led to former Bangladesh police chief Benazir Ahmeds Dubai arrest
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Former Bangladesh police chief Benazir Ahmed, who faced international scrutiny over corruption allegations, was reportedly apprehended in Dubai earlier this month after being betrayed by his own former business associates. Sources familiar with the situation suggest that a deepening rift over financial disputes and investment dealings led those close to the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) to orchestrate his downfall by alerting local authorities to his presence.
According to these sources, the arrest took place at a shopping center in Dubai. Those involved in the operation reportedly leveraged the existing Interpol “red notice” and previous U.S. sanctions against Mr. Ahmed to pressure Dubai law enforcement into taking action. The former police official, who fled Bangladesh with his family on May 4, 2024, amid a high-profile corruption probe, had allegedly invested illicitly gained funds into Dubai’s real estate and gold sectors.
Mr. Ahmed was officially arrested on June 12, a development confirmed to the Bangladeshi parliament on Sunday by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan. The minister stated that the government has a 30-day window to file a formal request for his extradition. While the United Arab Emirates government notified Dhaka of the arrest via email, both Dubai police and UAE interior officials have remained silent regarding the specifics of the operation, despite inquiries from media outlets.
Reports from international wire services, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), have corroborated the arrest, which has since been widely covered by regional media such as the *Khaleej Times* and *Arab News*. Experts note that while the Interpol red notice played a critical role, the success of the arrest is largely attributed to the internal betrayal by individuals who facilitated his investments abroad. A senior Bangladeshi police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, echoed this sentiment, noting that the Interpol notice alone rarely results in such swift detentions without local intervention.
In response to the arrest, Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has finalized a formal extradition request detailing various charges, including corruption, money laundering, and passport forgery. This dossier is currently being processed through the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for submission to the UAE government. Currently, the ACC is pursuing six separate cases against Mr. Ahmed, who previously served in several high-ranking roles during the Awami League administration, including Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and head of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The downfall of the former police chief follows years of controversy. In December 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and seven of its officials, including Mr. Ahmed, citing serious human rights violations. Since his retirement in September 2022, his influence waned, leaving him isolated as the current government intensified its efforts to recover assets and bring high-profile suspects to justice.
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