Ex-Air chief Hannan arrested in Qatar

Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan has been arrested in Qatar in connection with a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the commission said on Sunday.
He was taken into custody on 15 October, ACC Secretary Md Saidur Rahman Khan told the commission’s regular media briefing at its headquarters in Dhaka.
He said the ACC received unofficial information about Hannan’s arrest on Saturday and official confirmation on Sunday through Interpol via the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police.
According to the ACC, Hannan is accused of acquiring assets worth Tk3,28,51,506 beyond his known sources of income. He is also accused of conducting suspicious transactions totalling about Tk14,08,57,145 through various bank accounts and laundering money.
Following verification of the allegations, the ACC filed a case at its Dhaka-1 office on 27 July 2025 under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004; Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012; and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The ACC formed a three-member team on 6 February 2025, following a directive from its headquarters, to investigate allegations against Hannan. These include abuse of power, causing losses to state funds, bribery, recruitment irregularities, misappropriation of funds, money laundering and acquiring assets inconsistent with his known sources of income, including in the names of family members.

The team was led by ACC Deputy Director Tanjir Hasib Sarkar, while ACC Assistant Director Mahmudul Hasan was later appointed investigating officer.
As part of the investigation, the ACC sent letters to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) on 23 May 2026 and the NCB of Bangladesh Police on 21 June 2026, seeking information about Hannan’s assets in several countries, including Qatar and Canada.
The ACC secretary said the commission, with court approval, had attached and frozen Hannan’s movable and immovable assets and those of his wife. A receiver had been appointed to oversee the assets.
Steps had also been taken to impose a travel ban on him, he said.
Asked about efforts to bring Hannan back to Bangladesh, Rahman Khan said the ACC, Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry were working together to obtain the necessary information and coordinate with relevant authorities abroad.
He expressed hope for positive developments in the near future, adding that the case remained under investigation.

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