Bangladeshi military personnel
Ziaul Ahsan (জিয়াউল আহসান) is a former Bangladesh Army officer. He is the former Director General of National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC).[1] Prior to joining NTMC, he was a Director (Internal Affairs) at National Security Intelligence. He previously served as the Additional Director General (ADG) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).[2][3]
He was relieved of his duties in August 2024 for actions taken during the Student–People's uprising.[4]
Career
Army
Ahsan joined Bangladesh Army as a commissioned officer on 21 June 1991.[5] He was a graduate of BMA's 24th long course.[1] He is a commando and skydiver.
Rapid Action Battalion
Ahsan joined RAB-2 as its company commander on March 5, 2009. He was a major then. He was elevated to the rank of lieutenant colonel the same year and took charge as director of RAB's intelligence wing on Aug 27, 2010.[6][5] He was made RAB's additional director general (operations) on December 7, 2013 after being promoted to colonel.[5] He is the only army official who has remained outside the Bangladesh Army for maximum period of time.
Ahsan led a number of operations over last seven-and-a-half years. He played a role in the repatriation of Nur Hossain, main accused in the Narayanganj Seven Murder case from Kolkata.[7] On 29 April 2014, Ahsan ordered Lieutenant Colonel Tareque Sayeed and Major Arif Hossain to kill Narayanganj City Corporation councilor Nazrul Islam who had given the Seven Murders of the Narayanganj contract to Colonel Tareque.[8] Though Ahsan denied any involvement. According to information from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), HuJI, and Ansarullah, along with other extremist organizations, were led by prominent local leaders, including Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana, and notorious criminals like 'Drug Lord' Amin Huda. [9]
Prosecution
Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister during the Student–People's uprising, Ahsan was stripped of his positions and tried to flee the country but was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on 6 August and detained at the Dhaka Cantonment.[10]
A Dhaka court placed him on an eight-day remand for interrogation in connection with the death of a shopkeeper during protests in the capital's New Market area on July 16. During court proceedings that day, Ahsan claimed innocence, saying he had not been near the area at that time. He also claimed that he had been held at Aynaghar since his arrest, and that he is suffering from a heart condition.[4]
References
