Former Chief of Air Staff Sheikh Abdul Hannan has been arrested in Qatar, officials in Dhaka confirmed on Sunday, October 18. The ACC was told of the arrest through an email from Interpol. ACC Secretary Saidur Rahman Khan said Hannan was held in Doha. The commission has not yet shared details of how he was caught.
The Cases Against Him
The ACC filed two cases against Hannan and his wife, Tahmida Begum, on July 27, 2025. They accuse the couple of acquiring assets beyond known sources of income and making suspicious financial transactions. One case alleges illegal assets worth Tk 3.28 crore and money laundering. The ACC began its inquiry in February 2025. The allegations include abuse of power, bribery, recruitment irregularities and misappropriation of funds, and the case remains under investigation.
Offshore Wealth and Travel Ban
Investigators have traced Hannan’s alleged offshore wealth to Canada and Dubai. They also found assets registered in the names of his children in three countries. The ACC says he managed to leave Bangladesh despite an active travel ban and several corruption cases. A Dhaka court had earlier ordered the seizure of two of his flats and the freezing of 10 bank accounts, and in March it ordered the seizure of his and his wife’s income tax records.
Who Is Hannan?
Hannan was commissioned into the Bangladesh Air Force in 1984. He took charge as the 16th chief of air staff on June 12, 2021, under the Awami League government of Sheikh Hasina. He retired on June 11, 2024.
The reports do not say whether Bangladesh has requested his return or when he might be brought back. The ACC says it will continue the investigation. His next steps in Qatar are still unclear.
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