Govt to retire three female cops over alleged misconduct during Khaleda’s arrest
Two of them "dragged former three-time prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia out of her cantonment residence during the eviction."
Highlights:
- Govt to send 17 senior cops to compulsory retirement
- 3 women addl DIGs face action over Khaleda Zia's eviction, arrest, detention
- One officer denies allegations, calls them baseless
The government has initiated the process of compulsorily retiring three senior female police officers over allegations of harassment during the arrest and transfer of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, according to a proposal sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Prime Minister's Office.
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The same proposal also seeks the compulsory retirement of 17 other senior police officers over allegations including loyalty to the Awami League, assisting irregularities in the 2014 and 2018 national elections, repression of opposition leaders and activists, and corruption, according to a copy reviewed by The Business Standard.
The proposal names three deputy inspectors general (DIGs), 12 additional deputy inspectors general (Additional DIGs), one superintendent of police (SP) and one deputy commissioner. Sources said gazette notifications may be issued within the next few days.
Officers under fire over Khaleda Zia arrest
It alleges that Additional DIG Rebecca Sultana of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Additional DIG Jesmin Begum of the Naval Police "dragged former three-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia out of her Cantonment residence" during her arrest.
Jesmin is also described as a close aide of former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman and accused of corruption. Calls to her official phone remained unanswered.
The proposal further alleges that Rebecca passed confidential state information to fugitive Awami League leaders and describes her as a close associate of former Home Minister Sahara Khatun.
Rebecca denied the allegation, telling TBS, "You can verify the video footage. I was not there during her arrest. Now, as my time to get a promotion came, a vested group has started spreading baseless allegations."
Regarding Farida Yasmin, currently Joint Commissioner (Headquarters) of the DMP, the proposal alleges that she forcibly escorted Khaleda Zia from court to prison following the 2018 corruption verdict and was praised by then DMP officials for her role. Attempts to contact her were unsuccessful.
The other officers named are DIGs Mohammad Abdullahil Baki, Walid Hossain and Sana Shaminur Rahman; Additional DIGs AKM Iqbal Hossain, Mohammad Tabarak Ullah, Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, Bidhan Tripura, Saheli Ferdous, Faisal Mahmud, Hasina Rahman, Kaniz Fatema and Sultana Nazma Hossain; Superintendent of Police Abdur Rahim Shah Chowdhury; and Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman.
