Ex-DGFI chief Mamun Khaled arrested in Dhaka

Lt Gen (retd) Sheikh Mamun Khaled – the former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) who was reportedly one of the masterminds of “Aynaghar” during the Awami League regime and was involved in 1/11 upheaval – has been arrested. 

A team of Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested the accomplice of 1/11 figure Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury and “Aynaghar” case accused Ziaul Ahsan from his residence at Mirpur in the capital in the wee hours on Thursday.  Later in the afternoon, Mamun was produced before a Dhaka court and placed on a five-day remand in a murder case linked to the 2024 mass uprising. 

The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Siddique Azad granted the remand order following a petition filed by the investigation officer (IO) of the case and the sub-inspector of DB police Kafil Uddin. 

A hearing took place on the petition. Public prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued in favour of remand, while defense lawyers Morshed Hossain Shahin and Nazrul Islam opposed it and sought bail for Mamun. 

During the hearing, the PP described the arrestee as one of the key actors behind the 1/11 regime. He alleged that individuals involved at the time tortured political leaders and businessmen to extort large sums of money.

He further claimed that Mamun had played a vital role in facilitating the rise of a fascist regime under Sheikh Hasina. For this reason, he was later rewarded with the position of DGFI chief. He was also made the vice-chancellor of the army-run Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). He later served as a three-star general at the National Defence College (NDC) before retiring.

Faruqi also alleged that Mamun was involved in “Aynaghar” where brutal torture was carried on dissidents. Many Aynaghar detainees were burned using gunpowder. According to the PP, the controversial ex-Army officer was involved in politicising the intelligence agency and had a role in evicting former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia from her Cantonment residence.

The PP also accused Mamun of embezzling hundreds of crores of taka from the “Jolshiri” housing project through power abuse and laundering the money abroad.

A corruption case had been filed against his wife Nigar Sultana and travel restrictions had been imposed on them following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Meanwhile, defense counsel Morshed Hossain Shahin claimed the murder case was “entirely baseless,” stating that Mamun was not named in the FIR. 

Nazrul Islam said that the accused had served in five positions within the DGFI without engaging in any unlawful activities. He claimed that “Aynaghar” was merely a media term and that Mamun had no involvement. The accused, however, told the court he had no role in the 1/11, claiming that he was in Cumilla at that time and joined the DGFI only in December 2007, months after the 1/11 incident. 

About the “Jolshiri” project, he claimed that he was tasked by the-then Army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan to recover dues. Regarding “Aynaghar,” he said that he testified before the disappearance commission and that no complaints arose during his tenure. According to the case statement, the victim, Delwar Hossain, 40, participated in an anti-government movement in Mirpur-10 area on 19 July 2024. Awami League men attacked the protesters with local weapons and firearms. Delwar was shot following indiscriminate firing allegedly carried out on Mamun’s instructions. The victim was first taken to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and later shifted to a private hospital where he died on 21 July. Alongside the involvement in the murder case, Mamun was placed on remand to inquire about the DGFI’s involvement in political activities, his controversial role during the 1/11 period, and alleged irregularities related to the “Jolsiri” housing project.

Earlier, on Monday night, Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury-- another key figure associated with the 1/11 period-- was arrested by the DB police. Mamun, another influential former army officer at that time, was arrested a day after Masud was remanded for five days in a human trafficking case on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ziaul Ahsan-- the notorious Bangladeshi serial killer who is now behind bars on charges of more than a thousand murders during the Awami League regime-- is facing trial in the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for “Aynaghar” case.