Former speaker Shirin Sharmin detained, taken to DB office

Former Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has been detained by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB).

She was detained from her residence in Dhanmondi in the capital late last night (6 April).

DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo this morning (7 April) that she has been brought to the DB office and is currently in custody.

However, the DB did not provide details regarding the case or specific reasons for her detention.

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury resigned on 2 September 2024, 27 days after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

After the Awami League came to power in the 2008 election, Abdul Hamid was elected Speaker, and following his election as President, Shirin Sharmin was elected Speaker on 30 April 2013 and served in the role continuously.

There are cases against her over violence during the July mass uprising. In one such case, filed on 27 August 2024, she was accused along with 17 others, including former commerce minister Tipu Munshi, in connection with the killing of gold worker Muslim Uddin, 38, who was shot in Rangpur.

The case was filed at the Metropolitan Kotwali Magistrate Court by the victim’s wife, Dilruba Akter, 32, of Purba Ganeshpur in Rangpur city, while Tipu Munshi is currently in jail after being arrested in the case.

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Rangpur-6 constituency.