A. B. M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury - Arrest in 2007

Arrest in 2007

After the army-backed government assumed power in Bangladesh in January 2007, Mohiuddin and other top politicians in the country were arrested in an overnight raid on 7 March. He was incarcerated (mostly incommunicado) in various prisons in the country. When first arrested, unlike other arrested leaders he was taken to a remote jail in Bandarban (a district of Chittagong Hill Tracts).

Although the mass media (under pressure from the government's intelligence agency DGFI) reported Mohiuddin's hidden wealth and millions of dollars amassed through corruption, none of the cases against him were proven; the army government voluntarily cleared him of nearly all cases. During the Bangladesh Awami League's internal politics at this time, Mohiuddin was seen as a pro-Hasina leader and remained unswervingly loyal to Sheikh Hasina's leadership.

Whilst in prison, Mohiuddin's daughter was diagnosed with blood cancer in Thailand. Although he was detained without trial for 21 months, despite repeated pleas from his family the government did not release him from prison to see his dying daughter. He was finally released from prison on 8 October 2008 following a High Court order. Despite his release, the army-backed government retained his passport and did not allow him to fly to Thailand in time to see his daughter. On 17 October, when the government finally permitted him to fly abroad and just minutes before he boarded the aircraft en route to Bangkok, Mohiuddin's daughter died.