Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, former Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament, has been arrested by the Detective Branch of Dhaka police, officials confirmed on Tuesday, even as authorities remained tight-lipped on the specific charges against her.According to officials from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Chowdhury was taken into custody late Monday night from her residence in Dhanmondi, a residential area in Dhaka. Confirming the development, DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam told ANI, “We have arrested Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury,” without elaborating further on the circumstances or basis of the arrest.The lack of immediate clarity around the charges has added to uncertainty, with investigators yet to confirm whether the detention is linked to an existing case or part of a broader probe.Preliminary information suggests that Chowdhury may be facing legal proceedings connected to violence during the July mass uprising in Bangladesh, a period marked by widespread unrest and political upheaval.In one such case, a murder complaint was filed following the fatal shooting of a gold worker, Muslim Uddin, in Rangpur. The complaint, lodged on August 27, 2024, named 17 individuals, including Chowdhury and former Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi.The case was filed by Dilruba Akter, the victim’s wife, at the Metropolitan Kotwali Cognisance Court in Rangpur. Investigators are currently examining the sequence of events and the alleged roles of those named in the complaint.Officials, however, have not confirmed whether Chowdhury’s arrest is directly tied to this case or to any other ongoing investigation.Chowdhury, a senior leader of the Awami League, stepped down as Speaker on September 2, 2024, weeks after the fall of the government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.Her resignation came 27 days after the political shift that brought an end to Hasina’s tenure, marking a turning point in Bangladesh’s political landscape.Chowdhury’s rise in politics began after the Awami League returned to power following the 2008 general elections. She was appointed Speaker on April 30, 2013, after Abdul Hamid vacated the position upon becoming President.She went on to serve multiple consecutive terms, emerging as one of the longest-serving Speakers in Bangladesh’s parliamentary history.In a related development, Tipu Munshi has already been arrested in connection with the Rangpur case and is currently in judicial custody.Authorities have not clarified whether the arrests are part of a coordinated legal process linked to the same incident or separate lines of investigation emerging from the July unrest.With no official statement detailing the charges or legal provisions invoked, questions remain over the nature of the case against Chowdhury.Officials said further details are expected as the investigation progresses, with authorities likely to provide clarity on the charges and the scope of the probe in the coming days.
