Dhaka: Bangladesh’s former State Minister for Planning, Shamsul Alam, was arrested on Thursday by Dhaka Police as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus continues its campaign of targetting Awami League leaders.
Alam, an award-winning economist, was also the recipient of the second-highest civilian award of the country, ‘Ekushey Padak’ in 2020 for his contribution to economics.
He served as a Professor at Bangladesh Agricultural University for 35 years, and also as Senior Secretary of the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission during the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking to Bangladeshi daily Business Standard, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Nasirul Islam confirmed Alam’s arrest. Reports suggest that the police is yet to confirm the grounds on which he was arrested.
“He is currently being held at the Detective Branch (DB) office on Minto Road. There is a case filed against him, and he will be produced before the court,” Islam said when asked about the case under which Shamsul Alam was arrested.
In continuing crackdown on the Awami League, several leaders of the party were placed under police remand for interrogation by the Yunus-led interim government on Wednesday.
A Bangladesh court ordered an 18-day remand for Zafar Alam, former Member of Parliament and Awami League President of Chakaria Upazila, in connection with seven separate cases. The order was issued by Chakaria Senior Judicial Magistrate Anwarul Kabir following petitions filed by investigation officers, local media reported.
In a separate development, a Dhaka court on Wednesday ordered a five-day remand for former Law Minister Anisul Haque. It also ordered a three-day remand for former Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain in connection with separate cases.
Additionally, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate M Mizbah Ur Rahman on the same day granted a police petition to show Turin Afroz, the former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, arrested in connection with an alleged murder case.
The Yunus-led administration has issued several arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Hasina, her family members, and Awami League supporters.
Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the interim government led by Yunus, as several cases were filed against the former PM and her supporters on frivolous grounds, immediately after her ouster in August 2024.
The unceremonious exit of Hasina last August was globally seen as a major setback to the democratic set-up in the country. The interim government has also received massive criticism for providing shelter to radical and extremist Islamic outfits.
(IANS)
