Yunus government cancels passports of 22 veteran security and military officials

Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

In a major crackdown on the veteran security officials, the interim government of Bangladesh this week has ordered the cancellation of passports of twenty-two officials who served in the powerful intelligence and law enforcement agencies including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). In a notification, the Home Ministry of Bangladesh announced that the passports of these veteran officers were being cancelled as they are currently under investigation for disappearing political opponents during the Sheikh Hasina presidency.

The notification further stated that there were primary evidence of their involvement in abduction of opponents and the step was being taken to prevent them from leaving the country. Most of the names in the list were in prominent positions in the Bangladesh military, and in the intelligence agency DGFI and the National Security Intelligence (NSI). A few on the list were involved in the Rapid Action Battalion, an enforcement outfit that got negative publicity during Hasina era. The Home Ministry of Bangladesh is currently headed by Adviser for Home Affairs Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

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Among those mentioned in the list is Molla Fazle Akbar who served as the head of DGFI during 2009 to 2011. Others in the list are former officers of DGFI and NSI Lt. Gen. Akbar Hossein, Saiful Abedin, Saiful Alam, Ahmed Tabrez Shams Choudhury, Maj. Gen. Hamidul Haque. Since the formation of the interim government under the leadership of Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus, Dhaka has released persons who were reportedly under detention in secret hideouts controlled by various intelligence and security outfits under Sheikh Hasina government. Senior police officer Mohiuddin Faruki who is currently in prison on murder charges is also on the list. Noteworthy that it was during the tenure of Molla Fazle Akbar as the head of DGFI that Bangladesh carried out several operations targeting insurgent groups – ULFA included – that were active in northeast India.

The order to cancel passports came days after the special commission on disappeared persons recommended that these former officials should be prevented from leaving the country. A report published by news outlet Jugantar has informed that the actual process of cancellation of the passports may take 2-3 days.  The latest decision on cancellation of passports of veteran military and security officials is the biggest such action targeting the security establishment of Bangladesh that has been carried out by the Yunus government that is facing a law and order crisis because of the absence of effective policing in the country. The police forces of Bangladesh have been facing public ire because of their role in the anti-students crackdown during the last days of the Hasina government.