Police, ACC delegation to fly to Dubai soon

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, who was arrested in Dubai, has been granted bail on conditions.

The government has already hired an experienced law firm in the United Arab Emirates to seek cancellation of Benazir's bail and bring him back to the country. Additionally, to advance the necessary legal and investigative procedures, a coordinated delegation comprising police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will soon visit Dubai — the Home Minister added.

Speaking to journalists after an event in Rajshahi today (Sunday), the Home Minister said the government has received information that Benazir Ahmed has been granted bail on the condition that he cannot leave the United Arab Emirates. However, an application has been filed for a certified copy of the bail order to ascertain the full conditions set by the court.

"The Home Secretary and Bangladesh's Ambassador to the UAE are in constant communication regarding this matter. The law firm appointed by the government has been instructed to take all necessary legal steps to cancel Benazir's bail. The government is optimistic about getting the bail cancelled through legal processes and bringing him back to the country quickly," Salahuddin added.

Multiple sources concerned have said the policy decision to hire the law firm in the UAE was taken nearly three weeks ago. The Bangladeshi Ambassador in Abu Dhabi is coordinating the entire matter, following the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the directives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For this, the investigating agencies have been asked to quickly send incontrovertible evidence, documents, and necessary papers related to the cases against Benazir Ahmed.

Sources also said a delegation comprising officials from the police and the ACC will soon go to Dubai from Bangladesh. They will hold meetings with the local law firm, relevant authorities, and investigation-related agencies to strengthen the extradition process.

It is known that the appointed law firm has already begun the legal process to cancel the bail. However, the final decision on whether the bail will be upheld or cancelled rests with the relevant court in the UAE.

Earlier, reports published in various media outlets said a court in Dubai had granted Benazir Ahmed conditional bail. According to the court's conditions, his passport remains in the court's custody, and he cannot leave the UAE without court permission.

However, the Interpol branch of Bangladesh Police (NCB) has said they have not yet received any official communication regarding Benazir's bail or release.

Police Headquarters spokesperson A.H.M. Shahadat Hossain said communication is ongoing with Dubai Police and relevant authorities on the matter.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating Benazir—a prominent police officer from the Awami League era—on multiple charges, including illegal wealth accumulation and money laundering. As part of that investigation, an Interpol Red Notice was issued against him on April 11, 2025.

Based on that notice, Dubai Police arrested Benazir. The UAE authorities informed the Bangladesh government of the matter via email on June 12.

Subsequently, on June 14, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Parliament that a formal extradition request must be sent through diplomatic channels within 30 days of the arrest date. He added that the government, through the NCB (Interpol branch), would take initiatives in coordination with Abu Dhabi to bring Benazir back to Bangladesh swiftly.

Accordingly, the necessary documents were prepared, and the extradition application was sent to the UAE. A month later, Dubai Police sent a letter to Bangladesh seeking "in-principle consent" for Benazir's return, along with a request for additional information and clarifications.

In the midst of this exchange of documents, news of Benazir's release on bail emerged—which has cast uncertainty over his extradition.

The ACC has filed six corruption cases against Benazir on various charges, including passport forgery and acquiring assets disproportionate to his known income. Among them, one case is currently under trial, while the remaining cases are under investigation.