Police have arrested Bidisha Ershad, the second wife of former president and Jatiya Party founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad, in connection with a fraud case. Police said the arrest was carried out on the basis of a court conviction and an arrest warrant issued against her.
Bidisha was arrested from the Gulshan area of the capital at around 8.30pm on Tuesday (25 August), Gulshan police station officer-in-charge Daud Hossain confirmed.
According to police sources, a court sentenced Bidisha to two years in prison in a fraud case and also fined her Tk10,000. Following the verdict, an arrest warrant was issued against her. Police subsequently took her into custody to execute that warrant.
Gulshan police said the next steps would be taken in accordance with the court’s order and the relevant legal procedures. Following her arrest, Bidisha was placed in the custody of law enforcement authorities for further action based on the case records and the court’s directives.
The details of the fraud case, including the specific allegations brought against Bidisha and the name of the court that handed down the sentence, were not immediately disclosed by police. The officer-in-charge of Gulshan police station, however, confirmed that the arrest was made on the basis of the court’s warrant.
Bidisha is widely known for her marriage to Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who served as Bangladesh’s president from 1983 until 1990 and founded the Jatiya Party. Her personal life and association with Ershad attracted considerable public attention, while her involvement in political affairs also made her a familiar figure in the country’s political landscape.
Ershad died in July 2019 after a period of illness. His death marked the end of a long political career that had continued well beyond his presidency, including his leadership of the Jatiya Party.
Bidisha herself has remained in the public spotlight at various times following Ershad’s death, particularly over political and social developments surrounding his family and the Jatiya Party. Her latest arrest, however, is not being described by police as a political action.
Instead, authorities have linked the arrest directly to the conviction in the fraud case and the arrest warrant subsequently issued by the court.
Under normal legal procedure, when a court convicts an accused person and issues an arrest warrant, law enforcement agencies may take steps to execute the warrant. Once the person is arrested, further proceedings are conducted in accordance with the court’s instructions and the applicable legal process.
Police have not yet provided further details about the case or clarified whether Bidisha has taken any legal steps against the conviction. Her next stage of legal proceedings will depend on the relevant court’s directions and the records of the case.
