Zeesan gets ‘out on bail in Dubai’
Top-listed Bangladeshi fugitive Zeesan Ahmed, who was arrested in the UAE recently, had reportedly been freed on bail by a Dubai court on Thursday.
Bangladesh Police, however, is not aware of this, said a spokesperson.
“We don’t have any such information. We have submitted documents seeking his extradition to the authorities concerned [Bangladesh foreign ministry],” Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general (media) at the police headquarters, told The Daily Star.
A source familiar with the proceedings said an influential person of the UAE signed his bail bond. But Zeesan is not allowed to leave Dubai.
Bangladesh could not prove the allegations against Zeesan before the court, the source said.
Zeesan’s lawyer submitted documents to the court mentioning that he has been doing business in the country for the last 14 years and has built a reputation.
The lawyer also said that he regularly paid his taxes and had never been involved in any criminal activities in Dubai.
There is no bilateral extradition treaty between Bangladesh and the UAE. But Bangladesh is willing to sign an agreement with the UAE. The home ministry and police headquarters are preparing documents in this regard, foreign ministry officials said.
A delegation of Bangladesh Police will participate in an Interpol conference in Chile on October 15.
The delegation will talk about the issue with the UAE officials on the sidelines of the conference, an official said.
Sources said Zeesan had an Indian passport which expired this year. Since then, he has been using a passport of the Dominican Republic.
He is on the home ministry’s list of 23 top criminals published a decade ago.
There is a reward on his head.
He was notorious in Gulshan, Banani, Badda, Motijheel and some other areas of the capital. He manipulated tender bids and extorted money from people and businesses, officials said.
The transnational police organisation Interpol also issued a “Red Notice” for him. The Interpol website mentions that he has murder charges against him and he is accused of possessing explosives in multiple cases.
Zessan formed a killing squad with members of another top criminal Sanjidul Islam Emon’s gang, they added.
He controlled Dhaka’s underworld and came into public focus after he allegedly gunned down two DB officers at a hotel in Malibagh in 2003.
He went into hiding afterwards. He was believed to have left the country after law enforcers launched a crackdown in 2005.
Zeesan went to India and changed his name to Ali Akbar Choudhury, officials said.
The Daily Star obtained a copy of his supposed Indian passport but could not verify its authenticity.
Zeesan’s name resurfaced during the ongoing drive against illegal casinos and arrest of two Jubo League leaders GK Shamim and Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan.
Officials believe that Zeesan was in close contact with them.
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