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The government has initiated the process to bring back former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed to Bangladesh, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir said on Sunday, as authorities pursue legal efforts to secure his return.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, the adviser said the Ministry of Home Affairs has already begun the necessary procedures and discussions are underway with the relevant authorities.
“We have started the process to bring Benazir Ahmed back. The Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated the necessary actions, and discussions are ongoing,” Humayun Kabir said.
He added that any official update on the matter would be communicated by either the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once there is tangible progress.
Asked about reports that Benazir had been released on bail in Dubai, the adviser said he did not have the latest information.
“I have just come from a series of meetings. It would not be appropriate for me to comment without knowing the latest developments. The Ministry of Home Affairs will be able to provide the most up-to-date information,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Home Affairs Adviser Salahuddin Ahmed said in Rajshahi that the Bangladesh government had appointed a law firm in Dubai to seek the cancellation of Benazir Ahmed’s bail.
He expressed hope that the legal process would pave the way for the former police chief’s return to Bangladesh at the earliest opportunity.
Benazir Ahmed, who served as Inspector General of Police from April 2020 to September 2022 after previously heading the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), has been facing multiple corruption allegations. Several investigations have been launched into his alleged accumulation of wealth beyond known sources of income, while courts have ordered the attachment of assets linked to him and his family. The government has also been pursuing international legal cooperation in connection with the cases.
During the same media briefing, Humayun Kabir also spoke about Bangladesh’s relations with the United States, describing the recent visit of US Presidential Special Envoy Sergio Gor as an introductory and exploratory mission aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.
He said it was Gor’s first visit to Bangladesh and that the discussions focused on expanding cooperation in areas including trade, investment, technology, geopolitics and other international issues.
According to the adviser, the envoy held cordial meetings with Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during which both sides exchanged views on enhancing the longstanding partnership between the two countries.
Responding to a question on whether the issue of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had been discussed during the meetings, Humayun Kabir replied that it had not.
“Sheikh Hasina is now an irrelevant issue. There was no discussion on that,” he said.
The foreign affairs adviser also clarified Bangladesh’s engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying there is a clear distinction between becoming a “Dialogue Partner” and a “Sectoral Dialogue Partner.”
He urged against confusing the two categories, noting that each represents a different level of institutional cooperation with the regional bloc.