Former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury shown arrested in Lalbagh case

Former Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has been shown arrested in a case filed under Lalbagh Police Station in the capital during the anti-discrimination movement.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Media) NM Nasiruddin confirmed the development at around 11:20am on Tuesday (7 April).

He said that Dr Chaudhury is facing six cases across different police stations in Dhaka, and she has been formally shown arrested in one of the cases filed.

When asked about her appearance before the court, Nasiruddin said, “We are working on it. It will take some time.”

Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Shafiqul Islam, said that there are two cases against her at Uttara and Banani police stations. She is expected to be shown arrested in one of those cases as well and produced before a court later in the day.

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Former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury detained

Earlier in the day, at approximately 4:30am, DB officials detained Dr Chaudhury from a relative’s residence on Road 8/A at Dhanmondi in the capital. She was later taken to the DB office, where she is currently being questioned.

Dr Chaudhury was first elected Speaker on 30 April 2013 and had served in the role continuously since then.

Following the general election on 7 January—boycotted by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—in which the Awami League formed the government, she was re-elected as Speaker.

She was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Rangpur-6 constituency. However, she later resigned from her position following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government.