Former Police Chief Benazir Ahmed allegedly abused his power and unlawfully held the position of President of Dhaka Boat Club Limited for 10 consecutive years, according to the club's current president, Nasir Mahmud. During this time, Nasir accused Benazir of financial irregularities amounting to around Tk 32 crore. He also stated that both Benazir and former club secretary Lieutenant Commander (retd) Tahsin Amin were expelled from the club after evidence of financial misconduct and embezzlement came to light.

Speaking at a press conference titled “Financial Irregularities of Former President Benazir Ahmed” held at the club’s Riverview Lounge in Birulia, Savar on Thursday, Nasir Mahmud said a chartered accounting firm, Hoda Vasi Chowdhury & Co., had been reappointed to verify the allegations. He noted that while the final figure might slightly decrease, it is more likely to increase beyond the Tk 32 crore.

Nasir claimed that Benazir had barred him from entering the club for three years during his presidency, saying, “If I came to the club, I would have been abducted and taken to a place called the ‘Mirror Room’. He had a powerful force and could do anything. I was just a businessman without the strength to fight him. But I never gave up and pursued legal action. I even sent three legal notices against him.”

Benazir, realizing his position was becoming legally indefensible, tried to initiate meetings multiple times, Nasir added. Regarding his removal from the executive committee, Nasir said, “As an executive member, he (Benazir) had no authority to remove me. I was scared of him then, but I’m not afraid anymore. We represent around 3,100 members of the club. We are acting within our responsibilities and have nothing to fear, even if he still has the power to harm us.”

The press conference also touched on the controversial incident involving actress Pori Moni. Nasir clarified that Pori Moni was not a club member but entered as a guest without proper authorization, which violates club rules. “The member who brought her should have been held accountable. Instead, I was punished for protesting her misconduct. I couldn’t accept her unruly behavior,” he said.

He also stated that when Benazir became interested in becoming the club's president, financial gain wasn’t his motive—social prestige was. “Being the president of a major club like this is not a trivial matter. The club has members from top tiers of society—justices, ministers, advisers, secretaries, former military and police officials, and top businesspeople. Becoming president without an election gave him immense social recognition,” Nasir said. He also pointed out that Benazir earned a PhD from Dhaka University, which was later revoked, questioning if the degree had been purchased for social status.

In his opening remarks, Nasir said this was likely the first official press conference in the club’s history. Dhaka Boat Club was officially approved on June 30, 2014, and after acquiring land and other permits, construction began. The club officially launched in February 2021, and Nasir was one of seven founding members. He alleged that due to immense pressure at the time, he was forced to give up the presidency in favor of Benazir.

Nasir further stated that Benazir disregarded the club’s constitution by not holding elections and ignored mandatory documentation required each year under the Ministry of Commerce. This negligence even put the club’s existence at risk. “Eventually, we were elected, and we obtained all the necessary documents,” he said.

Regarding the legitimacy of the new committee, Nasir clarified, “The election wasn’t held after he fled. He was still in power when he was forced to declare the election date. I personally served him multiple notices to hold elections according to the constitution. The final notice, dated June 24, required him to hold elections by July 20. So, even at the peak of his power, he was compelled to announce the election.”

Several executive committee members also attended the press conference, including Nakib Sarkar Apu, Jesmul Huda Mehedi Apu, Asma Aziz, AKM Iyaz Ali (Khokon), Alim Al Kazi (Tuhin), Khaleda Akter Jahan, Mirza Anik Islam, Azad MA Rahman, Md Zakir Hossain, and Khandaker Hasan.