Staff Correspondent:

The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has issued a red notice to facilitate the extradition of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Bangladesh Benazir Ahmed, after his arrest from anywhere in the world.

INTERPOL, the world’s largest international police organisation, issued the red notice on 10 April, a source of the police headquarters confirmed on Tuesday.

Benazir Ahmed, who is widely known as the most corrupt IGP in the history, fled the country following the violent July-August mass upsurge that ensured the unceremonious fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government.

The red notice was issued at the request of the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police, which serves as the focal point for all INTERPOL-related activities in the country, said the source.

The NCB made the request in line with the directive of the prosecution and the investigation agency of the government, according to the source.

Earlier, a Dhaka court issued an order to seek INTERPOL’s help in ensuring the quick extradition of Benazir after his arrest from anywhere in the world.

Responding to a query, the source, who is also a top police official, said Benazir is on the run along with his family and it has yet to be confirmed about his location.

As the red notice has already been issued against him, his location will be confirmed and at the same time, he will be brought back home immediately to face trial, added the source.

Responding to another question, he said INTERPOL has not yet uploaded the red notice on its website, but it will be done immediately after tracing his location.

Besides, the effort of issuing the red notice against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and many bigwigs of the Awami League government is under legal process of the INTERPOL, said the police official, wishing not to be named.