Former Bangladesh Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (retd) Sheikh Abdul Hannan, accused in a corruption case, was arrested in Qatar on October 15, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said. The agency said Interpol confirmed the arrest through an email.
ACC Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Md Aktarul Islam confirmed the matter on Sunday.
The ACC filed a case against Sheikh Abdul Hannan over allegations of acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income after conducting an inquiry into his assets. The agency has since initiated measures to seize his assets, freeze bank accounts and confiscate documents needed for the inquiry and investigation.
Following an ACC application, a Dhaka court on May 6 last year ordered the seizure or freezing of land, three flats, an under-construction seven-storey building and six bank accounts held in Sheikh Abdul Hannan’s name.
A court subsequently ordered the freezing of 38 bank accounts held by Sheikh Abdul Hannan, his wife Tahmida Begum and their son Sheikh Labib Hannan on May 24. The ACC had sought the order to halt transactions through the accounts and prevent the transfer of assets.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge and Senior Special Judge’s Court also ordered the seizure of 34 decimals of land owned by Sheikh Abdul Hannan in Kismat Malipatan mouza of Kachua upazila in Bagerhat on September 20, following an ACC application. The registered value of the land is Tk1.764 million.
The ACC alleged that Sheikh Abdul Hannan acquired assets and laundered money abroad by abusing power, engaging in recruitment-related trading, accepting bribes and committing other irregularities and corruption that caused losses to state funds.
The agency said it had found information on his movable and immovable assets in Bangladesh and abroad. Investigations into the allegations are continuing.
Sheikh Abdul Hannan served as chief of the Bangladesh Air Force from June 2021 to June 2024. The allegations in the ACC case have not yet been proven in court.