Benazir Ahmed

Last updated

Inspector General of Police
Benazir Ahmed
বেনজীর আহমেদ
28th Inspector General of Bangladesh Police
In office
15 April 2020 –30 September 2022

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 and studied English Literature at University of Dhaka and earned his Ph.D. in Business Administration from an American university. [8]

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. [9] He was the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. [10] He criticized Transparency International Bangladesh report on Bangladesh police which he described as criticizing the police "cruelly" and "unjustly" in 2013. [11]

On 30 December 2014, Ahmed was appointed Director General of Rapid Action Battalion replacing Mukhlesur Rahman. [12]

Ahmed was made the Inspector General of Bangladesh Police in April 2020. [13]

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. [14] [15] 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." [16] [17]

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. [18] [19] [4] Individuals on the list have their assets blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from having financial dealings with them. [20]

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. [21] According to the article, Ahmed built a resort, Savannah Eco Resort, in a secluded Bairagitol village of Gopalganj District, Bangladesh. [21]

Personal life

Ahmed is married to Zeeshan Mirza. Together they have two daughters. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid Action Battalion</span> Elite Bangladeshi Police Unit

Rapid Action Battalion or RAB, is an anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh Police. This elite force consists of members of the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Ansar. It was formed on 26 March 2004 as RAT, and commenced operations on 14 April 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pori Moni</span> Bangladeshi actress (born 1992)

Shamsunnahar Smrity, known by her stage name Pori Moni, is a Bangladeshi film actress. She is considered one of the most popular and successful actresses in the Bangladeshi film industry. In 2020, She was listed in Forbes Asia's "100 Digital Stars".

<i>Bangladesh Pratidin</i> Bengali-language independent daily newspaper

Bangladesh Pratidin is a Bengali-language independent daily newspaper in Bangladesh. It was founded on 15 March 2010. Bangladesh Pratidin tops the list of highest circulated dailies in the country out of 345 newspapers published from Dhaka and elsewhere, the information minister told parliament 10 March 2014. Naem Nizam is the editor of Bangladesh Pratidin. Bangladesh Pratidin is a subsidiary of East West Media Group (EWMG), which is owned by Bashundhara Group. On behalf of EWMG, the publisher of the newspaper is Moynal Hossain Chowdhury.

Noman Group is one of the largest Bangladeshi conglomerates in the textiles and garments sector. Its companies export annually about $1 billion in textile and garment products around the world, and employ about 70,000 people. Noman Group produces yarns, fabrics, home textile, bed covers, curtain, comforters, quilt covers, denim and towels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuruzzaman Ahmed</span> Bangladeshi politician (born 1950)

Nuruzzaman Ahmed is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and the incumbent Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Lalmonirhat-2 constituency since 2014. Earlier, he served as the minister of social welfare and the state minister of social welfare and state minister of food.

Hassan Mahmood Khandker is a former Bangladeshi police officer who served as the 26th Inspector General of Bangladesh Police from 31 August 2010 to 30 December 2014. He was the longest serving Inspector General in Bangladesh Police's history. It was during his tenure that Bangladesh Police got Independence Day Award. Moreover, rank badge of the IGP upgraded to 3-star general in his time, earlier IGP was bearing two-star general rank badge since 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammad Javed Patwary</span> Bangladeshi police officer

Mohammad Javed Patwary is a Bangladeshi retired police officer and a former Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh Police. Earlier, he served as Additional Inspector General of Police Special Branch (SB). After his retirement in 2020, he was appointed as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia by the Government of Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inspector General of Police (Bangladesh)</span> Head of the Bangladesh Police

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) is the senior-most and highest ranked police officer of Bangladesh and the head of the Bangladesh Police, who oversees all police activities throughout the country. He reports directly to the Ministry of Home Affairs and is appointed by the government of Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asaduzzaman Mia</span> Bangladeshi police officer

Asaduzzaman Mia, BPM (BAR), PPM, is a retired police officer who served as the 33rd Police commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the longest serving commissioner and the incumbent chief executive officer of National Security Affairs Cell under the Cabinet Division. During his tenure as DMP Commissioner, Dhaka Metropolitan Police was considered to be at its peak.

Syed Refaat Ahmed is a justice of the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.

Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is a Bangladeshi police officer and the current inspector general of police (IGP) of Bangladesh Police since 30 September 2022. Previously he served as director general of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). He was made the DG of RAB in April 2020. Prior to join RAB, he was the chief of Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Bangladesh Police Service Association - BPSA is the association of the BCS cadre police officers of Bangladesh.

Killing of Ekramul Haque refers to the extrajudicial killing of Ekramul Haque, councillor of Teknaf Municipality Ward three, by a unit of Rapid Action Battalion. That resulted in Teknaf Municipality three times in a row as a candidate of Awami League. Haque was a former President of Teknaf unit of Jubo League, the youth wing of Awami League, for 13 years. Bangladesh government was carrying a crackdown on the narcotics trade and the death of more than a 100 suspects in shoot-outs with law enforcement agencies. Since 2018 more than 200 individuals were killed in extrajudicial shootings by law enforcement agencies in Teknaf alone.

Tofayel Mustafa Sorwar is a Bangladesh Army Brigadier General and the former Additional Director General (Operations) at the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) an elite multi-service unit of the Bangladesh Police. He has been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for human rights violation at RAB during his time at the agency.

Mohammad Anwar Latif Khan is a Bangladesh Army Colonel and the Sector Commander of Border Guards Bangladesh in Rajshahi. He is the former Additional Director General (Operations) at the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) an elite multi-service unit of the Bangladesh Police and oversaw crackdowns on Islamist militants. He has been sanctioned by the United States for his activities in RAB. He had previously commanded RAB-5, RAB-7, and RAB-11.

Miftah Uddin Ahmed is a Bangladesh Army Lieutenant Colonel and officer of Rapid Action Battalion who has been sanctioned by the United States for human rights violations.

M Khurshid Hossain is a Bangladeshi police officer and Director General of Rapid Action Battalion. He is the former Additional Inspector General of the Police Headquarters. Prior to that, he was DIG of Police Headquarters.

Khandker Golam Faruq is a Bangladeshi police officer and an Additional Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh Police. He served as the 35th Commissioner of DMP. Prior to join here, he was the 13th Rector of Police Staff College Bangladesh. Before that he served as Principal of Bangladesh Police Academy, Sardah, Rajshahi. He is a former Deputy Inspector General of Chittagong Range of Bangladesh Police.

Mohammed Nazibur Rahman is an Additional Inspector General of Bangladesh Police and former rector of Police Staff College, Bangladesh. He is the former Principal of Bangladesh Police Academy. He is a former commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police and director of the National Security Intelligence. He had previously served in the Bangladesh High Commission to India and was the first chief of the Bangladesh Police's Anti-Terrorism Unit.

Mallick Faqrul Islam is a Bangladeshi police officer and rector of Police Staff College, Bangladesh. He is the former Additional Inspector General of Police of the Highway Police. He was the Deputy Inspector General of Special Branch.

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. ↑ "New IGP, RAB DG, DMP commissioner named in a major police shake-up". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Ahsan, Zayadul. "Pariahs in police". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Police do not kill for money: Benazir Ahmed". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "DU study finds 82% people happy with police service". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  12. ↑ Report, Star Online (30 December 2014). "Shahidul new IGP, Benazir Rab chief". The Daily Star. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "Benazir Ahmed becomes new IGP". The Daily Star. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  14. ↑ Staff Correspondent (10 February 2022). "IGP set to visit Germany". Prothomalo. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  15. ↑ Staff Correspondent (11 February 2022). "Bedsheets for police: IGP, others going to Germany to assess dye". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  16. ↑ 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)
  17. ↑ Staff Correspondent (18 February 2022). "IGP cancels Germany trip amid uproar". The Daily Star. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  18. ↑ "AHMED, Benazir". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov.
  19. ↑ "PM blasts US for remarks on Bangladesh". Daily Sun. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "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.
  21. 1 2 3 "বেনজিরের ঘরে আলাদিনের চেরাগ" (in Bengali). Bangladesh Pratidin. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.