Former joint secretary Syed Jaglul Pasha has been arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) over allegations that he fabricated documents and gave false testimony in the Zia Orphanage Trust case against former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

DB Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam confirmed the arrest on Wednesday (5 August), saying Jaglul Pasha was arrested on Tuesday night from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area.

DB Additional Commissioner said Jaglul Pasha faces multiple criminal cases.

According to DB sources, Jaglul Pasha had flown to Dhaka from Cox’s Bazar. Detectives kept him under surveillance and arrested him in the airport area at around 8:50pm.

Police said Jaglul Pasha is an accused in a case under the Special Powers Act filed with Gulshan Police Station, the Parvez murder case linked to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement filed with Jatrabari Police Station, a case related to Operation Eagle Hunt filed with Shibganj Police Station in Chapainawabganj, and the murder case of BNP leader Altab Hossain filed with Daulatpur Police Station in Kushtia.

The DB also said he is linked to a 2013 case filed over the placement of sand-filled trucks in front of the BNP office in Banani to create an obstruction. It added that further legal proceedings against him are underway.