The announcement was made in Bangladesh’s National Parliament by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed.

According to Dhaka Tribune, the minister informed the House that on June 12, Dubai Police, through the National Central Bureau (NCB), notified the Bangladesh government via email that former IGP Benazir Ahmed had been taken into custody in Dubai.

“We will bring him back to Bangladesh soon. Bangladeshi authorities are coordinating closely with their UAE counterparts to facilitate his return,” the minister was quoted as saying.

Ahmed, once considered close to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, served as Inspector General of Police from April 2020 to September 2022, following his tenure as Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from 2015 to 2020.

He reportedly left Bangladesh on May 4, 2024.

The United States imposed sanctions on Ahmed in 2021, alleging his involvement in human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during his leadership of the Rapid Action Battalion.

Bangladesh also witnessed large-scale student-led protests in 2024, which ultimately led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her departure from the country.