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Chowdhury Fazlul Bari

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Chowdhury Fazlul Bari
Allegiance Bangladesh
Service / branch Bangladesh Army
Years of service1976-2008
RankBangladesh-army-OF-6 Brigadier General
UnitEast Bengal Regiment
Commands
Police career
UnitRapid Action Battalion
Allegiance Bangladesh
Branch Bangladesh Police
Service years2004–2006
Rank Additional Director

Chowdhury Fazlul Bari is a former Bangladesh Army officer and former director general of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.[1]

Career

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Bari joined the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in 2004 when it was founded.[1] As a lieutenant colonel he served as the additional director general of RAB.[2] The last post he held in RAB was additional director general.[1] In 2005 he defended Rapid Action Battalions practice of extrajudicial killing of suspects to the US embassy.[3] He was made director of DGFI by the then BNP lead government.[1] During military backed caretaker government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed, he became the chief of DGFI.[1] However, at the end of the caretaker government he was posted to Bangladesh's diplomatic mission in Washington, D.C.[1]

Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, accused him of leading his torture.[4] He was recalled from his post after the elected Awami League government took power.[1] He sought an extension but the government did not grant it and later Bangladesh Army declared him absconding without leave (AWL) officer.[1]

In 2009 Bari declared a deserter.[5] During the caretaker administration he tried to aid Bangladesh Freedom Party and National Democratic Alliance. The freedom party was formed by the military officers who killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh in a coup. He married Mehnaz Rashid, the eldest daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Khandaker Abdur Rashid, one the killers of Sheikh Mujib and a leader of the Freedom Party. He divorced her in December 2008. He denied marrying her.[6] In 2009 he applied for political asylum in the United States.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Brig Gen Bari absconding in army record". The Daily Star. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Lensmen protest Rab assault on colleague". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Crossfire killings necessary". The Daily Star. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  4. ^ Report, Star (9 September 2011). "Not returning anytime soon". The Daily Star. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Bari deserter, faces now court-martial". The Daily Star. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Another Freedom Party man held". The Daily Star. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Top Bangladesh Army officer seeks political asylum in US". Hindustan Times. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2016.