Former Bangladesh Air Force chief Sheikh Abdul Hannan arrested in Qatar over corruption charges

Former Bangladesh Air Force chief Sheikh Abdul Hannan has been arrested in Qatar over corruption charges filed against him in Bangladesh, officials said on Sunday.

According to Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Hannan allegedly accumulated assets worth more than 3.28 crore Bangladeshi taka (Tk) beyond his known sources of income. He is also suspected of carrying out transactions worth Tk 27.63 crore through six personal bank accounts.

ACC Deputy Director Md Akhtarul Islam said Qatari authorities arrested the retired Air Chief Marshal on Oct 15. The commission received formal notification of his detention through an email from Interpol.

“We have been informed by Interpol that Qatar’s law enforcement agency detained him there on October 15,” Islam said.

Following its investigation, the ACC approved the filing of charges against Hannan in July last year under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Money Laundering Prevention Act and Prevention of Corruption Act.

Hannan’s wife is also an accused in the case. She allegedly accumulated assets worth more than Tk 1.91 crore beyond her known sources of income with her husband’s assistance.

The anti-corruption watchdog also identified suspicious transactions totalling Tk 1.18 crore through 32 bank accounts registered in her name.

Investigators have traced Hannan’s alleged offshore wealth to Canada and Dubai and identified assets registered in his children’s names across three countries.

In March, a Dhaka court ordered the seizure of Hannan’s and his wife’s income tax records following two separate applications submitted by the ACC as part of its investigation.

The commission alleged that Hannan managed to leave Bangladesh despite an active travel ban and several corruption cases against him.

A court had also ordered the attachment of two apartments owned by the former Air Force chief and the freezing of his bank accounts after the ACC alleged that he had accumulated wealth beyond his known sources of income.

Hannan joined the Bangladesh Air Force in 1984 as a general duty (GD) pilot. He became the country’s 16th Chief of Air Staff on June 12, 2021, and retired on June 11, 2024.

He was appointed during the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and completed his tenure while the party remained in power.

According to newspaper reports, former Bangladesh Navy chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan also faces corruption cases and is currently abroad. However, no court has issued a travel ban against him.

Both Hannan and Hassan were appointed as service chiefs during Hasina’s Awami League government.

While Hannan retired during the Awami League’s tenure, Hassan completed his service under the subsequent interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.