Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Parliament on Sunday that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, who is facing multiple corruption cases in Bangladesh, has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates and will be brought back through formal extradition procedures.
Delivering a statement under Rule 300 in the Jatiya Sangsad, the home minister said the government had been informed on 12 June 2026 through an email from the Director General of the Federal Criminal Police in Abu Dhabi. The message confirmed that Benazir Ahmed had been detained by UAE authorities following international coordination involving Interpol.
He said Bangladesh would now send a formal extradition request through diplomatic channels. The National Central Bureau of Bangladesh Police would coordinate with Abu Dhabi, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would handle official communication with UAE authorities. He added that the request must be submitted within 30 days of the arrest under UAE law.
Salahuddin Ahmed said the necessary case documents, arrest warrants and investigation files had already been prepared. He said the Ministry of Home Affairs had approved the extradition proposal and all relevant agencies were working together to complete the process.
The minister said the Bangladesh Police had earlier requested Interpol to issue a Red Notice against the former police chief. Following that request, Interpol coordinated with UAE authorities, leading to his arrest.
Describing the development as a “historic success”, Salahuddin Ahmed said it marked an important step in ending what he called a culture of impunity. He told Parliament that the government was determined to ensure that no individual, regardless of status or influence, could avoid justice.
He said the arrest would strengthen the rule of law and increase public confidence in the justice system. He added that it demonstrated the state’s commitment to accountability and equal application of the law.
Salahuddin Ahmed also said Benazir Ahmed is facing cases under sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Penal Code, along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bangladesh Passport Order.
The home minister said all agencies, including the Anti-Corruption Commission, were preparing the required legal documents for extradition. He added that coordination with international partners would continue to ensure his return “as quickly as possible”.
In a separate statement, he also addressed the reported disappearance of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir central leader Mohammad Jisan Mia Pradhan. He told Parliament that police investigations found no evidence of enforced disappearance or government involvement.
He said a General Diary was filed at Daudkandi Model Police Station in Cumilla on 12 June after Jisan was reported missing. Police then launched an investigation and search operation.
According to findings presented in Parliament, Jisan had developed a relationship with a woman via Facebook several months earlier and had promised to marry her. Investigators found that they had a physical relationship on multiple occasions, resulting in pregnancy.
Salahuddin Ahmed said the investigation suggested Jisan later pressured the woman to terminate the pregnancy and allegedly arranged abortion medication through associates. When the woman demanded marriage, he reportedly agreed on 12 June but went into hiding on 11 June, after which the missing report was filed.
Police later recovered him from Laksham in Cumilla. The woman has since filed a case against him and three others, including allegations of rape, abetment of rape, criminal intimidation and causing miscarriage. The accused have been arrested and provided confessional statements before a magistrate.
The investigation is ongoing, the home minister said, adding that social media claims of enforced disappearance were misleading and not supported by verified facts presented to Parliament.
