United News of Bangladesh

Former Director General (DG) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Sabbir Bin Shams was detained at the Patgram border in Lalmonirhat on Saturday. Lalmonirhat Superintendent of Police Md Asaduzzaman said locals informed police after the former official allegedly entered the country illegally through the Dahagram border and was found in a suspicious situation. He was detained from the Dahagram area under Patgram upazila around noon. Police said seven passports, including two diplomatic passports, were recovered from his possession. He was later handed over to the district police's Detective Branch (DB) for interrogation. Police also said the former MoFA DG faces cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission. He is expected to be produced before a court after interrogation. Sabbir Bin Shams previously served as DG on a three-year contract during the fallen Awami League regime, and also worked as  "Minister" (Public Diplomacy) at the Bangladesh High Commission in London. He also served as executive director of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), the AL-affiliated think tank. Some of the corruption charges against him relate to his work with CRI.