Former air chief marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, a suspect in two Anti-Corruption Commission cases on charges of illegal wealth acquisition and money laundering, has been arrested in Qatar.
Details about when, how and which authority arrested him could not be provided by ACC Deputy Director Md Akhtarul Islam, who spoke to bdnews24.com on Sunday.
Asked how the ACC received the news of Hannan's arrest, Akhtarul said he had not yet received detailed information.
The ACC secretary will instead disclose the details at an upcoming press conference.
The ACC filed two cases against Hannan and his wife Tahmida Begum on Jul 27, 2025, on charges of illegal wealth acquisition and money laundering.
ACC Deputy Director Md Tanzir Hasib Sarkar filed the two cases at the agency's Integrated District Office, Dhaka-1, as the plaintiff.
On that day, ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain told reporters that the investigation found information that Hannan had acquired assets of Tk 32.85 million that were inconsistent with his known income.
In addition, suspicious transactions of Tk 276.37 million were conducted through six bank accounts in his name.
The ACC alleged that the former air force chief acquired these assets through abuse of power and criminal misconduct. The case also alleged that he concealed the source of the money through suspicious bank transactions.
A case was filed against him under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
In another case, Hannan's wife Tahmida was accused of acquiring assets worth Tk 19. 19 million beyond known income sources.
The ACC said it had also received information about suspicious transactions of Tk 11.82 million in 32 bank accounts under her name.
The case alleged that Tahmida acquired these assets with the help of her husband. Along with Tahmida, Hannan was also named as an accused in the case.
The ACC investigation also revealed that it had obtained information about Hannan's businesses and assets abroad, including in Qatar and Dubai.
The agency also demanded information about the assets in the names of his children in Canada. It was reported at the time that the details of these assets would be verified in the investigation of the case.
On May 5, 2025, while investigating the corruption allegations, the court banned Hannan, his wife Tahmida, and son Shaikh Labib Hannan from travelling abroad.
The next day, an order was issued to seize Hannan's land, house, and three flats on the ACC's petition.
The court also ordered the freezing of six of his bank accounts.
On May 24 of the same year, a total of 38 bank accounts in the names of Hannan, his wife, and son were frozen.
Then, on Nov 11, 2025, the court ordered the seizure of two flats in the name of Hannan's associate Sanjida Akhter and the freezing of 10 bank accounts.
The ACC's application alleged that Hannan had purchased the two flats in Sanjida's name to hide his illegally acquired wealth.
On Mar 30 this year, the court ordered the seizure of income tax documents of Hannan and his wife. This order was issued in the wake of a separate application by the ACC for the investigation.
Finally, on Sept 20, the court ordered the attachment of 34 percent of the land in Bagerhat's Kachua Upazila in Hannan's name. The ACC's application stated that the deed value of the land was Tk 1.76 million.
Hannan took charge as the chief of the air force on Jun 12, 2021 during the Sheikh Hasina government. He retired on Jun 11, 2024.
On Aug 5 of that year, the Hasina government fell in the face of a student-led mass uprising.