Dhaka court remands Akhtaruzzaman for one day over airport case
Dhaka court has ordered former lawmaker Major (retd.) Akhtaruzzaman held for one day in a case over alleged assault and obstruction at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Dhaka court on Saturday granted police one day to interrogate former lawmaker Major (retd.) Akhtaruzzaman in a case filed over an incident at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Mir passed the order after a hearing, state prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruki told Prothom Alo.
Police had sought a five-day remand to question Akhtaruzzaman, while his lawyers opposed the request and sought bail.
The case was filed at Airport Police Station on Thursday night over allegations of creating disorder, obstructing government duties, issuing threats and physically assaulting a security official amid a shortage of luggage trolleys at the airport.
According to police, passengers arriving on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Medina, Saudi Arabia, faced delays in collecting their luggage after a shortage of trolleys developed near baggage belt No. 8. The situation reportedly triggered anger and tension among passengers.
Police said Dhaka-5 lawmaker Mohammad Kamal Hossain asked the airport authorities to intervene. Airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad went to the area and attempted to calm the situation, according to the case statement.
The police allege that Akhtaruzzaman approached Samad in an aggressive manner and threatened him.
In its remand petition, police said Akhtaruzzaman’s alleged conduct disrupted security and the normal functioning of a sensitive government facility. Investigators also said they wanted to determine whether anyone had instigated the incident.
The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Akhtaruzzaman on Friday afternoon from his residence in the Cantonment DOHS area.
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar called for his release in a statement Friday. He said Akhtaruzzaman had faced harassment and difficulties like other passengers after returning from performing Umrah and had expressed anger in protest.
Akhtaruzzaman represented Kishoreganj-2 as a BNP lawmaker in 1991 and 1996. BNP expelled him in 2022 over allegations of involvement in activities against party discipline. He contested the 2024 parliamentary election as an independent candidate but lost.
He joined Jamaat-e-Islami on Dec. 13, ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election.
