How long will it take to repatriate former IGP Benazir Ahmed?

The government of the United Arab Emirates has agreed in principle to hand over former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, who is in prison in the United Arab Emirates, to Bangladesh. She was arrested from a shopping mall in Dubai on June 12 based on an Interpol Red Notice issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Dubai Police has asked Dhaka for additional information to review the legal and technical aspects of the prisoner's extradition, which the ACC is preparing to send quickly through the Home and Foreign Ministries. However, since there is no direct extradition agreement, questions have arisen about how long it will take to complete the legal process and return her to the country.

According to experts and lawyers, the issue of returning Benazir Ahmed to the UAE court mainly depends on four main factors - presentation of appropriate information and evidence of the crime, compatibility of the laws of the two countries, establishment of arguments in the court and strong diplomatic activity. In addition, although the UAE does not have a direct extradition agreement with Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government believes that it is possible to return her under the 'Security Cooperation Agreement' and the UN Charter. However, officials concerned have indicated that it may take a few more months for the legal battle and review of both the plaintiff and defendant sides in the Dubai court to be completed.

One of the biggest challenges in returning Benazir could be her potential foreign citizenship and investment benefits. According to media reports, the former IGP has acquired Turkish citizenship and passport through investment and also has investments in the United Arab Emirates. According to lawyers, if he is a legal resident of Dubai and there are no local charges against him there, his lawyers can raise legal arguments against extradition. Although there is a precedent for Aarav Khan, the accused in the police inspector murder case, not returning from the Emirates due to using an Indian passport, this complication can be overcome if strong diplomatic pressure is applied in Benazir's case.

It is worth noting that after the fall of the Awami League government in 2024, the trial and investigation activities of Benazir Ahmed were intensified in six cases, including the acquisition of known assets outside the income and passport fraud, by the ACC. An Interpol Red Notice was issued against her in 2025 following the request of the interim government. Although there have been precedents in the past of bringing back multiple murder suspects from the United Arab Emirates to Bangladesh with the help of Interpol, Bangladesh will now have to go through complex legal steps and high-level diplomatic efforts to bring this former top police officer back to the country and face justice.