Ex-housing minister Obaidul Moktadir arrested from Mirpur

Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, former minister of Housing and Public Works, has been arrested by the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) from the capital's Mirpur area tonight (31 October).

DB chief Additional Police Commissioner Rezaul Karim Mallick confirmed the matter to The Business Standard.

The former minister has been arrested in a case filed with the Paltan Police Station over the death of BNP activist Makbul Hossain in 2022.

According to the case documents, BNP in 2022 announced to hold a rally on 10 December of that year. Following the announcement, the party's men began to gather near its Naya Paltan office. Ahead of the planned programme, police and AL men created a ruckus in front of the BNP headquarters in Naya Paltan on 7 December. They entered the BNP office, charged batons and opened fire at the BNP men, injuring Mokbul critically.

Mokbul later died from his injuries at the hospital. The case was filed on 30 September 2024, against 256 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

He is also accused in a murder case filed over the death of a madrasah student in a clash between Awami League and Hefazat-e-Islam men in Brahmanbaria in 2021, the DB chief said.

The case was filed with the district's Sadar Police Station on 234 August of this year after the fall of the Awami League-led government in the face of a mass uprising.

Obaidul is also the former lawmaker for the Brahmanbaria-3 constituency.

Disclaimer: The article has been updated to correct the case in which Obaidul Muktadir has been arrested