Sacked Bangladeshi intelligence chief 'arrested' at Dhaka Airport

Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who was removed from his position in the Bangladesh military, was detained around midnight on Tuesday after his plane was brought back from the Dhaka airport runway to the boarding bridge, local media reported.

The former intelligence chief was taken off the aircraft and transported to the Dhaka cantonment.

According to sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Ziaul Ahsan was arrested after Emirates Flight 585 was instructed to taxi back to the boarding bridge from the runway.

During the search, a passenger was detained, and the plane was subsequently allowed to depart.

Local media have identified the detained individual as Major General Ziaul Ahsan, the former intelligence chief.

Ahsan was relieved of his duties yesterday. He was known to be a close associate of the recently resigned PM Hasina.

Since 2022, Major General Ziaul Ahsan has served as the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre. Prior to that, he was the Director of the same agency.

Ziaul Ahsan became the vice-captain of Rab-2 in 2009 when he was a major. In the same year, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed director of the intelligence wing of the Rab headquarters. From that time many controversies were created about him.