Jamaat leader Akhtaruzzaman remanded for one day

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman was placed on a one-day remand today (3 October) in a case filed over alleged disorder and obstruction of government work at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

As he was brought out of a Dhaka court in a prison van, he refused to wear a helmet offered by police and threw it away, shouting, "I do not obey the government's illegal orders."

Akhtaruzzaman was brought to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka in a prison van around 12:30pm under tight police security. He was then taken to the first floor of the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court.

Earlier, the investigating officer, Airport Police Station Sub-Inspector Majedul Islam, produced the accused in court and sought a five-day remand.

While still inside the prison van, he spoke to reporters through the iron bars of the van.

"Persecution cannot halt our struggle. We will continue to fight for the people of Bangladesh, especially for the interests of expatriates. We will fight for the rest of our lives," he said.

"We will solve the problems of expatriates. The mismanagement of this state cannot continue. The state cannot be run this way. No government can survive in such a situation," he added.

He said they needed to embark on a new struggle to put the state on the right path and realise people's rights, adding that Jamaat would continue that struggle.

A short while later, a police officer entered the prison van and put handcuffs on Akhtaruzzaman and a helmet on his head. He refused to wear both.

When he was brought out of the van wearing the helmet, he immediately threw it away.

"Why should I wear a helmet? Why was the helmet put on me? I do not obey the government's illegal orders," he said.

He was taken to the courtroom without the helmet. While being taken upstairs, he was heard chanting "Inquilab Zindabad" and "Bangladesh Zindabad".

Meanwhile, journalists were not allowed into the courtroom during the hearing by the prosecution department. No senior police officer gave an explanation for the restriction.

After about an hour of hearing, defence lawyer Abdur Razzaq said the court had granted one day's remand. He also told several lawyers, "You write it down, one day's remand has been granted."

Akhtaruzzaman was later brought down from the eighth floor of the CMM Court under tight security.

He again shouted: "They forcibly put handcuffs and a helmet on me. I did not wear it. I will protest against the injustices in this country. I will, I will. Give me as many years in jail as you want. The protest will continue."

At a press conference after the hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued in favour of the remand.

He said Akhtaruzzaman had told the court that he had gone to protest against a particular incident. The court then told him that protesting was his right, but that the language of protest should be restrained and that no one could be hurt while protesting.

According to the prosecutor, Akhtaruzzaman then made further aggressive remarks towards the court.

The prosecutor said a court generally allows an accused to speak and may discuss matters with them to obtain further information or assist them. But he said Akhtaruzzaman did not maintain any discipline in his statements.

Faruqi further said Akhtaruzzaman became angry with police as soon as he arrived at court and told police and everyone present to leave.

He also said Akhtaruzzaman did not want police or journalists inside and made hostile and aggressive remarks towards the court and the prosecution.

Defence lawyer Abdur Razzaq, however, criticised the decision to restrict journalists and lawyers from entering the courtroom and its adjoining area.

"Today, the DC of prosecution did not allow reporters and lawyers to enter the courtroom or the court corridor. I consider this a condemnable incident. I do not know whether they imposed this restriction on journalists to hide something. I urge the administration to ensure this does not happen again," he said.

Saying Akhtaruzzaman had made a "good statement" during the hearing, Razzaq said, "It would have been better if reporters had been there. This case is completely politically motivated. The case was filed to politically humiliate him. It is a bailable case."

What happened at the airport

According to the case statement, 34 Jamaat representatives and their families arrived in Dhaka from Medina on Thursday (1 October).

Their flight landed at 8:55am, and they entered the terminal through Gate 21 before proceeding to baggage belt 8.

A temporary shortage of luggage trolleys amid heavy passenger pressure led to a long queue.

The case says some protocol assistants allegedly tried to collect trolleys by breaking the queue, while passengers became agitated over delays in receiving luggage and Zamzam water.

Dhaka-5 MP Mohammad Kamal Hossain then called the airport's executive director, Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, to the scene.

The case alleges that Akhtaruzzaman approached Ragib aggressively, used abusive language, and threatened to beat him and remove him from the airport.

Kamal reportedly moved Ragib away as tensions escalated.

Akhtaruzzaman also allegedly threatened those present and made offensive remarks about the civil aviation and tourism minister.

Protocol assistants accompanying him allegedly recorded the incident and threatened to post the footage on social media.

When Security Supervisor Warrant Officer Mohammad Kamal Uddin asked them not to record videos in the airport's KPI area, he allegedly verbally abused him and later assaulted him.

The case further alleges that Akhtaruzzaman behaved aggressively towards a Biman Bangladesh Airlines representative and threw bottles and containers of Zamzam water, causing damage.

Airport security officer Md Shahriar Alam Sajib filed the case against Akhtaruzzaman at the Airport Police Station.