Bangladesh’s former air force chief Sheikh Abdul Hannan was arrested in Qatar over graft charges against him in his home country, officials said on Sunday.
Hannan had managed to leave Bangladesh following the probe against him, despite an active travel ban. Hannan’s wife was also made an accused in the case. He had completed his tenure during the Awami League government. Apart from Hannan, former Bangladesh navy chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan is also facing graft cases and is currently abroad. No active travel ban was issued against Hassan. Hassan was also appointed service chief during Sheikh Hasina ‘s tenure.
Hannan, who was appointed service chief during deposed Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, was taken into custody by Qatar authorities on October 15, news agency PTI reported, citing Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission. The retired air chief marshal has been accused of accumulating assets worth more than Bangladeshi Taka (Tk) 3.28 crore beyond his disclosed sources of income, according to Bangladesh’s ACC. He allegedly also carried out suspicious transactions worth Tk 27.63 crore through his six personal bank accounts, PTI reported. His wife also allegedly amassed more than Tk 1.91 crore in assets beyond her known sources of income, reportedly with Hannan’s assistance. Suspicious transactions amounting to Tk 1.18 crore were also found through 32 bank accounts in her name. Hannan was commissioned into the Bangladesh Air Force in 1984 as a general duty (GD) pilot, PTI reported. He took charge as the force’s 16th Chief of Air Staff on June 12, 2021, and retired on June 11, 2024.
“We have been informed by Interpol that Qatar’s law enforcement agency detained him there on October 15,” ACC deputy director Md Akhtarul Islam said.
Bangladesh’s anti-graft body, based on the findings, approved the filing of charges against Hannan last year under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Money Laundering Prevention Act and Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court also ordered attachment of two apartments owned by the former Bangladesh air chief, and freezing of his bank accounts. The Bangladesh ACC was formally notified by Interpol of Hannan’s detention through an email.
A Dhaka court had, earlier this year in March, ordered the seizure of the income tax records of Hannan and his wife as part of the probe against him, in response to two separate ACC applications.
Investigation in the case also led authorities to Hannan’s alleged offshore wealth in Canada and Dubai. Assets under the name of his children in three different countries also came under scanner.
