Court rejects bail over alleged assault and obstruction.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman. Photo: TBS
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Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman. Photo: TBS
Highlights:
- Court rejects bail after one-day remand
- Case alleges threats against airport officials
- Security officer allegedly assaulted inside KPI area
A Dhaka court today (4 October) sent Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman to jail after rejecting his bail plea at the end of a one-day remand in a case over alleged disorder at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamshed Alam passed the order following a hearing.
The court also directed the authorities to ensure medical treatment for Akhtaruzzaman in line with jail rules, Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi said.
Police arrested Akhtaruzzaman from his residence on Road 10 in Dhamalkot near the Cantonment on 2 October. The following day, a court placed him on a one-day remand.
After the remand ended, Airport Police Sub-Inspector Majedul Islam, also the investigating officer, produced him before the court and sought his detention in jail.
In the petition, the investigating officer said Akhtaruzzaman had admitted to certain facts related to the case during questioning and provided information that police were now verifying.
His lawyers, including Abdur Razzaq and Saifur Rahman, sought bail, while the public prosecutor opposed the plea. The court subsequently rejected the bail petition and ordered him to jail.
According to the case statement, 34 representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and their family members arrived in Dhaka from Medina on 1 October.
Their flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:55am and reached its parking position at 9:08am. The passengers entered the terminal through Gate 21, completed immigration formalities and went to the No 8 baggage belt.
The complaint says heavy passenger traffic at the time led to a temporary shortage of luggage trolleys and long queues. Several protocol assistants allegedly attempted to collect trolleys by breaking the queue.
Tensions later escalated over delays in receiving luggage and Zamzam water, according to the case statement.
At one point, Dhaka-5 MP Mohammad Kamal Hossain called airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad to the scene.
The complaint alleges that Akhtaruzzaman approached the executive director aggressively and verbally abused him. When Ragib Samad tried to explain the situation, Akhtaruzzaman allegedly threatened to beat him and remove him from the airport.
Kamal Hossain later moved the executive director away from the scene to prevent the situation from escalating, according to the complaint.
The case statement further alleges that Akhtaruzzaman threatened other airport officials and used abusive language towards the civil aviation and tourism minister.
Some protocol assistants accompanying him allegedly recorded the incident and threatened to upload the footage on social media.
Airport security supervisor Warrant Officer Mohammad Kamal Uddin reportedly asked them not to record videos in the airport’s key point installation (KPI) area.
Akhtaruzzaman then allegedly verbally abused the security officer and physically assaulted him, according to the complaint.
A Bangladesh Biman representative later arrived at the scene and was also allegedly subjected to aggressive behaviour.
The complaint further alleges that Akhtaruzzaman threw bottles and containers of Zamzam water collected by other passengers from a trolley, causing damage.
Airport security official Md Shahriar Alam Sajib filed the case with Airport Police Station, accusing Akhtaruzzaman of obstructing government officials and security personnel in their duties, issuing threats, using abusive language, acting aggressively and physically assaulting a security officer at the sensitive KPI facility.
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