Two retired Bangladesh Army officers have been arrested in Dhaka over alleged links to the Awami League, which is under an interim ban, in connection with cases filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Cyber Security Act.
The arrested officers are retired Lieutenant Colonel Debashish and retired Lieutenant Kazi Gulshan Ara. Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB) arrested the two during operations in the capital.
DB Additional Commissioner Mohammad Shafiqul Islam confirmed the arrests on Monday morning.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, Debashish was arrested over his alleged association with Gulshan Ara, who is an accused in cases filed under the two laws.
Police have yet to disclose the specific allegations against each officer, the dates of the cases or details of their alleged links to the Awami League.
Gulshan Ara, a former military officer turned entrepreneur, has extensive experience in corporate management, international business and the private security industry.
According to her professional profile, she was commissioned into the Bangladesh Army in 2004 and retired from military service in 2007.
She obtained an MBA in Human Resources from the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) before pursuing a career with multinational companies, including G4S Bangladesh and Chevron Bangladesh.
Between 2009 and 2013, she worked as a human resources manager for G4S in the United Arab Emirates, overseeing personnel management for the company's Middle East operations across 18 countries.
In 2013, she established Qamar Al Qaraien General Trading LLC, operating under the brand name Aydin, in the UAE.
The company has been involved in wholesale and retail trading of apparel, food and non-food products, supplying supermarket chains and cooperative retail outlets across the Emirates.
Her professional profile also identifies her as director of business development at Security 360 Limited, a Bangladesh-based private security company, a position she assumed in July 2021.
Beyond her corporate career, Gulshan Ara has been involved in debating and cultural activities.
She was a member of the Bangladesh Television debate team in 1995 and led a national debate team in a televised competition in 1996, where she received a best debater award.
While based in the UAE, she also supported cultural, social and charitable initiatives involving the Bangladeshi expatriate community.
Police have not disclosed whether the two former officers were arrested in the same case or in separate proceedings.
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