In a move signaling a continued crackdown on the ousted government of Bangladesh, former textile and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi has been arrested in Dhaka. The 76-year-old politician, who served under the Awami League’s Sheikh Hasina, was detained late Saturday night from a house in the Piergoli area of the capital.
According to The Daily Star, Paltan police station officer-in-charge Mollah Mohammad Khalid Hussain confirmed Gazi’s arrest, stating that he was taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office after being apprehended. The Dhaka Tribune corroborated the news, highlighting that Gazi was detained from the DB office due to the police station’s damaged state following recent violence. Hussain also mentioned a group of people had surrounded the house where Gazi was found, highlighting the public interest in the event. However, no specific details regarding the charges against Gazi were provided by the police.
The arrest of Gazi comes amidst a wave of legal action against former officials of the Awami League government. This follows a period of widespread protests against the quota reform system in Bangladesh, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent flight to India on August 5th.
Earlier on Saturday, a Dhaka court ordered the remand of Salman F Rahman, Hasina’s private industry affairs advisor, former law minister Anisul Huq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni, and two other individuals. They were placed on remand in connection with four murder cases. In addition, former chief whip ASM Feroz and former army officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan were also remanded for their alleged roles in murder cases.
The recent actions of the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, which took charge on August 8th, have seen numerous officials and ministers from the Awami League government face legal consequences. Many members of the party have gone into hiding, while others have been imprisoned. This crackdown underscores the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh as the new government seeks to consolidate its power and address the grievances that fueled the recent unrest.
