Ex-prime minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury arrested

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s adviser on energy, mineral resources and power, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, has been arrested.

The police arrested him from Gulshan in the capital on Tuesday night, said the media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

In the face of student-people uprising, Sheikh Hasina left the country by resigning from the post of prime minister on 5 August. Since then, a total of 24 ministers, MPs, advisers and top leaders of the Bangladesh Awami League government have been arrested.

Salman F Rahman, former prime minister’s private industry and investment affairs advisor, is also included among them.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury started his career as a Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP) officer. After serving as secretary in various ministries he retired in 2002.

When the Awami League formed government in 2009, he was appointed as the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s adviser on energy, mineral resources and power.

Former additional attorney general Md. Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury and Gazipur city Awami League advisory council member Riaz Mahmud Aynal were arrested by Jhenaidah district police.

The media and public relations department of the police headquarters said in a message that the two were arrested while trying to flee the country by crossing the border illegally.

The two are accused in separate murder cases filed at Adabor police station of DMP and Basan police station of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP).