Former Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, has been detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
According to DB sources, she was detained from a residence on Road 8/A in Dhanmondi at approximately 4:30 am on Monday (April 6). Following her detention, she was taken to the DB office on Minto Road, where she is currently being interrogated.
Where Was She Hiding?
After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury reportedly remained out of public sight. There had been various speculations regarding her whereabouts.
Earlier reports suggested that on August 5, during the student–public uprising, she, along with others, had taken shelter in a room inside the Jatiya Sangsad building. It was claimed that they remained there from morning until around 2:30 am, after which the army rescued them and moved them to a safe location.
Since then, there had been widespread rumors about whether she was still in the country or had fled abroad. After a long period of remaining in hiding, she was finally detained from her Dhanmondi residence early Monday morning.
Murder Case Filed
Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury is also an accused in a murder case filed in Rangpur.
- The case was filed on August 27, 2024, at the Rangpur Metropolitan Kotwali Amoli Court.
- It was lodged by Dilruba Akter (32), the wife of the deceased.
- The victim, Muslim Uddin (38), a goldsmith, was allegedly shot dead during anti-discrimination protests.
According to the case statement, during the student-led anti-discrimination movement, clashes broke out in the City Bazar area between police, Awami League activists, and protesters. At that time, police allegedly opened indiscriminate fire, and Muslim Uddin was shot and later declared dead at Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
The complaint also states that the victim’s family was pressured to bury the body without a post-mortem examination.
Other Accused
The case names 17 individuals, including several former lawmakers, local political leaders, and administrative and police officials, along with unnamed accused persons.
Further developments are awaited as the investigation continues.
