Top-listed fugitive criminal Zeesan Ahmed of Bangladesh was arrested Wednesday night in the UAE.
“The authorities in Dubai. They informed us about the arrest,” said Mohiul Islam, assistant inspector general of the Bangladesh National Central Bureau at the police headquarters.
Police are preparing documents to bring him back from Dubai, said the official of the bureau, which communicates with the Interpol.
Zeesan had an Indian passport in his possession, in which he was named Ali Akbar Choudhury, a police official said.
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 had 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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