Dismissed Bangladeshi intelligence chief detained at Dhaka airport

Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who was recently dismissed from his position in the Bangladeshi military, was detained late on August 6 after his plane was brought back to the boarding bridge from the runway at Dhaka airport.

The former intelligence chief was removed from Emirates Flight 585 and taken to Dhaka cantonment for further questioning, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

The arrest occurred following instructions for the plane to return to the boarding bridge after being on the runway.

During the search, another passenger was briefly detained, but the plane was eventually allowed to depart.

Local media reports confirm that Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who had been relieved of his duties on August 6, was the detained individual. Ahsan, who was a close associate of recently resigned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, served as the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre since 2022, and previously held the position of Director.

Ahsan's military career includes his promotion to lieutenant colonel and appointment as the head of the Rab intelligence wing in 2009, a role that generated significant controversy.

Ms. Hasina was forced to resign from her post and flee from Dhaka after weeks of protests against a quota system for government jobs descended into violence and grew into a broader challenge to her 15-year rule. Thousands of demonstrators stormed her official residence and other buildings associated with her party and family.

Her departure threatened to create even more instability in the densely populated South Asian nation that is already dealing with a series of crises, from high unemployment to corruption to climate change. Amid security concerns, the main airport in Dhaka, the capital, suspended operations.