Benazir Ahmed

Last updated

Inspector General of Police (retired)
Benazir Ahmed
বেনজীর আহমেদ
28th Inspector General of Bangladesh Police
In office
15 April 2020 –30 September 2022
Notable work Director General of Rapid Action Battalion
Police career
Unit
AllegianceFlag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh
BranchBangladesh Police Flag.svg Bangladesh Police
StatusRetired
Rank Bangladesh Police IGP Rank.svg IGP
BP Three Star Plate.svg

Benazir Ahmed is a retired Bangladeshi police officer [1] who served as 30th Inspector General of Bangladesh Police. [2] Prior to his appointment as IGP, he served as the Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from January 2015 to April 2020. [3] He is currently on a US sanctions list due to RAB's alleged role in forcibly disappearing citizens since December 2021. [4] [5]

Contents

In April 2024, Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh formed a committee to investigate the wealth of Ahmed after Bangladesh Pratidin and Kaler Kantho published articles titled "Benazirer Ghore Aladiner Cherag" (Aladin’s lamp at Benazir's house) and "Boner Jomite Benazirer Resort" (Benazir’s resort on forest land) alleging Ahmed to amass a vast amount of wealth illegally. [6] [7]

Education

Benazir Ahmed was born in Gopalganj. [8] He completed SSC exams from SM Model High School in Gopalganj in 1978, and cleared HSC exams from Jagannath College in 1980 both second division. [9] He completed his undergrad in 1982. [9] He completed his masters from the University of Dhaka in 1982 in English Literature. [9] He earned his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Dhaka. [8] [9] Enrollment qualifications were relaxed by his PhD supervisor Dr. Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam. [9]

Career

Ahmed joined Bangladesh Police Service as assistant superintendent of Police in 1988. He served in various appointments concurrently with his career. He has also received professional training from home and abroad. He was deprived of promotion allegedly during the government of Bangladesh Nationalist Party as part of discrimination against police officers from Gopalganj and police officers from minority religions. [10] He was the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. [11] He criticized Transparency International Bangladesh report on Bangladesh police which he described as criticizing the police "cruelly" and "unjustly" in 2013. [12]

On 30 December 2014, Ahmed was appointed Director General of Rapid Action Battalion replacing Mukhlesur Rahman. [13]

Ahmed was made the Inspector General of Bangladesh Police in April 2020. [14]

In 2022, Home ministry issued a notice that the IGP and two other officials were going to Germany on a 9-day visit to check the quality of 100,000 pieces of bed sheet for double cot and pillows for the police department. [15] [16] This news caused a controversy and later the trip was cancelled after an uproar. Bangladesh Police claim that these reports were "untrue and misleading," and were a result of "linguistic confusion." [17] [18]

US sanctions

On 10 December 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury added Ahmed to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list under the Global Magnistsky Act. [19] [20] [4] Individuals on the list have their assets blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from having financial dealings with them. [21]

Ahmed denied all allegations and expressed his shock on being sanctioned. He blamed the sanctions on "propaganda" and "anti state forces." He also accused human rights organisations of misleading US politicians, specifically referring to one unnamed group whose "South Asia director" was "a Pakistani." [5]

Allegations of corruption

On 31 March 2024, two Bangladeshi newspapers, Bangladesh Pratidin and Kaler Kantho, published an investigative article on his alleged corruption. [22] According to the article, Ahmed built a resort, Savannah Eco Resort, in a secluded Bairagitol village of Gopalganj District, Bangladesh. [22] On 23 May 2024 Court orders freeze on Benazir’s properties, bank accounts over corruption charges. [23] [24] On june 2024 Benazir Leaves Country Amidst Corruption Allegations. [25] [26] TIB raises alarms over massive corruption allegations against Benazir. [27] Anti Corruption Commission says proof of corruption found against Benazir, case will be filed. [28] On 12 June, 2024 court orders to confiscate more properties of Benazir and his family's. [29] [30] [31]

Personal life

Ahmed is married to Zeeshan Mirza. Together they have two daughters. [22]

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References

  1. ↑ "New information emerges about Neo-JMB, 'spiritual leader' Kashem to be grilled for seven days". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "Benazir Ahmed becomes new IGP". The Daily Star. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Benazir new IGP, Mamun Rab DG". The Daily Star. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  4. 1 2 "What's behind US sanctions against Bangladesh's elite paramilitary force?". Deutsche Welle. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Benazir: "We are victims of lies, falsehood and deceit"". Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ. 6 January 2022. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "ACC begins investigating Benazir Ahmed's wealth". Prothomalo. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Writ seeks probe into reported allegations on ex-IGP Benazir Ahmed's wealth". Prothomalo. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 "New IGP, RAB DG, DMP commissioner named in a major police shake-up". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Hasan, Mahmudul (14 June 2024). "Benazir earns PhD degree from DU without enrollment qualifications". Prothomalo. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  10. ↑ Ahsan, Zayadul. "Pariahs in police". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Police do not kill for money: Benazir Ahmed". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "DU study finds 82% people happy with police service". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Report, Star Online (30 December 2014). "Shahidul new IGP, Benazir Rab chief". The Daily Star. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  14. ↑ "Benazir Ahmed becomes new IGP". The Daily Star. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  15. ↑ Staff Correspondent (10 February 2022). "IGP set to visit Germany". Prothomalo. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  16. ↑ Staff Correspondent (11 February 2022). "Bedsheets for police: IGP, others going to Germany to assess dye". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  17. ↑ Correspondent, Senior; bdnews24.com. "Police move to cancel IGP Benazir's Germany tour amid social media backlash". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 27 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ Staff Correspondent (18 February 2022). "IGP cancels Germany trip amid uproar". The Daily Star. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  19. ↑ "AHMED, Benazir". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov.
  20. ↑ "PM blasts US for remarks on Bangladesh". Daily Sun. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Global Magnitsky Designations; North Korea Designations; Burma-related Designations; Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies (NS-CMIC) List Update". U.S. Department of the Treasury. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  22. 1 2 3 "বেনজিরের ঘরে আলাদিনের চেরাগ" (in Bengali). Bangladesh Pratidin. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  23. ↑ "Court orders freeze on ex-IGP Benazir's properties, bank accounts over corruption charges".
  24. ↑ "Seize Benazir's assets: Court".
  25. ↑ "How did Benazir and family leave the county unseen?". 3 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Where is Benazir Ahmed?". 30 May 2024.
  27. ↑ "TIB demands accountability for massive corruption by Benazir | Bangladesh pratidin". 3 June 2024.
  28. ↑ "Proof of corruption found against Benazir, case will be filed: ACC".
  29. ↑ "Court orders to confiscate more properties of ex-IGP Benazir, family | News".
  30. ↑ "Court orders confiscation of more property of Benazir -".
  31. ↑ "Benazir's corruption and the crisis of accountability".
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