A Bangladeshi military officer has been detained over his alleged involvement in the extrajudicial killing of a politician during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, according to local media reports.
The alleged killing took place in 2018 during the government’s anti-narcotics campaign, in which hundreds of people were killed. Many of those deaths were later alleged to have occurred in staged encounters involving security forces.
Last week, Bangladesh’s Crimes Tribunal accepted a petition against 11 officials in connection with the killing of Cox’s Bazar councillor Akramul Haque. Those named in the petition include former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a former police chief, and six serving and retired military officers.
According to Bangladeshi media, Brigadier General Muftah Uddin Ahmed is among those detained. He was taken into custody by the Bangladesh Army.
An official from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate confirmed the detention, stating that further legal proceedings would continue in accordance with the law.
The arrest is being viewed as one of the most significant actions taken so far by the tribunal investigating alleged abuses committed during Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
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