Ex-Lt Gen Masud Uddin nabbed

Former Feni-3 lawmaker and key figure during the 1/11 caretaker government, Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, was arrested early Tuesday from his Baridhara residence and placed on a five-day police remand in a human trafficking case.

Detective Branch (DB) chief Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said Masud, who had previously evaded arrest, was picked up around 2:30am with support from Cantonment Police Station.

“He is accused in at least 11 cases, including murder, attempted murder, human trafficking, and money laundering,” the DB chief confirmed.

Masud is the third accused in a human trafficking case filed under Paltan Police Station, which involves a total of 101 accused.

Police said six cases are registered against him in Feni, three of which are under trial with prior arrest warrants, and five cases in Dhaka, with the rest under investigation.

Authorities said further legal steps will follow in all ongoing cases, including human trafficking allegations abroad.

Responding to questions about his role during the 1/11 changeover, the DB chief said investigations will determine any involvement, and victims’ claims of torture will be addressed under the law.

Money laundering allegations are under separate investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Police emphasized that Masud’s arrest comes after long-term efforts and is a major step in ongoing investigations into serious offences.