Former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mohammad Ali Arafat, was apprehended today (27 August) from Dhaka’s Gulshan area. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police verified the arrest to The Business Standard, though the specifics of the charges and the case remain undisclosed.
Arafat’s detention comes on the heels of a directive issued two weeks ago by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) instructing banks to freeze all accounts held by Arafat and his spouse, Sharmin Mustary. The order also mandated the suspension of any withdrawals from both personal and business accounts in their names.
Arafat, a prominent figure in the now-dissolved Awami League-led administration, gained significant attention in July of the previous year when he defeated well-known YouTuber and independent candidate Ashraful Alom, popularly known as Hero Alom, in the Dhaka-17 by-elections. The parliamentary seat, which covers areas such as Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and part of Dhaka Cantonment, became vacant following the death of renowned actor and freedom fighter Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque on 14 May.
The election was notable for its historically low voter turnout and the physical assault on Hero Alom. Despite the controversy, Arafat secured a decisive victory with 28,816 votes, while his closest competitor, Hero Alom, garnered 5,609 votes. Arafat was re-elected from the constituency in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls.