Former Speaker of the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Tuesday, officials confirmed.
Police sources said Chaudhury was taken into custody from a residence in Dhanmondi, a prominent residential neighbourhood of the capital.
According to reports, the arrest is linked to a case registered at Lalbagh Police Station concerning incidents of violence and vandalism that occurred during the recent mass uprising.
Chaudhury made history as the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Bangladesh Parliament, holding the position from April 2013 until September 2024.
Reports suggest that she had been shifting between different locations to avoid arrest. Most recently, she had been staying at a relative's house in Dhanmondi, where police detained her on Tuesday morning.
Deputy Commissioner of the police's media division, M N Nasir Uddin, said that Chaudhury is currently being questioned by investigators.
He added that several cases have been filed against her in connection with incidents during the July movement, including cases registered at Banani Police Station and Uttara Police Station. Another case has also been lodged against her in Rangpur.
Chaudhury had represented the Rangpur-6 constituency in Parliament.
Following the July uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government, many senior leaders of the party went into hiding, while several former ministers and MPs were arrested.
During this period, Chaudhury largely stayed out of the public eye and was also absent from the oath-taking ceremony of the interim government held on August 8, 2024.
She began her parliamentary career in 2009 after being elected through a reserved seat for women. She later served as State Minister for Women and Children Affairs before being elevated to the position of Speaker of Parliament.