Dhaka– Former Awami League Member of Parliament Sabina Akter Tuhin was arrested early Monday in Dhaka on multiple charges related to the July 2024 protests, as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus continues its sweeping crackdown on the party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Detective Branch (South) Joint Commissioner Nasirul Islam, Tuhin—who represented the Dhaka-14 constituency and served as a lawmaker from the Mirpur area—was detained in the early hours of the morning.
“She is named in multiple cases, including one involving a murder that occurred during last year’s July Uprising,” The Business Standard quoted Islam as saying.
In a separate but related development, police also arrested former Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) Managing Director Mohammad Monirul Moula late Sunday night in Dhaka’s upscale Bashundhara Residential Area. He was detained in connection with a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Moula, who was appointed IBBL’s managing director in January 2021 during Hasina’s tenure, was taken to the DB headquarters on Minto Road. He is one of 58 individuals named in a graft case filed by the ACC in December 2024, which alleges the embezzlement of 1,092 crore Bangladeshi Taka through fraudulent loans. The case also names the bank’s former chairman, Ahsanul Alam.
Following the fall of the Awami League government, the central bank restructured IBBL’s board. In April, Moula was placed on three months’ forced leave amid allegations of involvement in financial irregularities.
The arrests of Tuhin and Moula come amid a broader crackdown by the Yunus-led interim administration, which has increasingly targeted leaders and supporters of the Awami League. Just last week, several other senior party members were taken into custody and placed under police remand for interrogation.
The interim government has also issued arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina, members of her family, and numerous Awami League loyalists.
Political analysts have widely described these actions as part of a broader campaign of political retribution. Many of the cases against Hasina and her allies are being viewed as politically motivated and lacking substantial evidence.
Hasina’s removal from office in August 2024 was seen by many international observers as a blow to Bangladesh’s democratic framework. The interim government has since faced growing criticism for allegedly enabling radical and extremist Islamic groups while targeting secular and moderate political forces. (Source: IANS)
