Staff Reporter:

The government is awaiting the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) final response on the extradition of former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed after completing all required legal formalities, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Friday.

“Benazir Ahmed is currently in the custody of the UAE Federal Police. We are now awaiting the UAE government’s final response and hope to know its decision soon,” he said.

Briefing reporters after attending a programme marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2026 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, the minister said the UAE Federal Police have informed Bangladesh by email following Benazir Ahmed’s arrest.

According to Salahuddin, the UAE authorities requested the necessary legal documents within 30 days. Bangladesh, however, prepared and sent all required legal and institutional documents through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within just three days.

He said the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi has recently handed over the documents to the UAE authorities.

Salahuddin also said Bangladesh had requested India to extradite three key suspects in the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi after they were arrested by Indian law enforcement agencies in Bangaon, West Bengal.

He said the government had already sent the required legal documents, including arrest warrants, under the extradition treaty between the two countries.

On border security, the minister said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have not allowed a single person to be pushed into the country illegally due to its strict vigilance along the frontier.

He said, “Pushing people across the border without proper verification is not an accepted international practice. If India has a list of Bangladeshi nationals staying there illegally, it should share the information through diplomatic channels so Bangladesh can verify their nationality and, if confirmed, repatriate them through legal procedures.”

The minister also praised the BGB for maintaining maximum alertness and successfully preventing alleged push-in attempts along the border.

Senior Home Secretary Manjur Morshed Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir and other senior officials were present at the briefing.