Police seek to keep Jamaat leader Akhtaruzzaman in custody after remand
The Detective Branch arrested him at his residence near the cantonment in the capital on Friday (2 October).
Police have applied to keep Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhteruzzaman in custody after his one-day remand ended in a case over alleged disorder and obstruction of government duties at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Investigating officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Majedul Islam of Airport Police Station, confirmed the matter this afternoon (4 October).
"We have produced him before the court following the end of his remand and submitted an application to keep him in prison," he said.
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In the application, police said Akhteruzzaman provided information during questioning and admitted to the incident. The information is being verified as the investigation continues, it said, adding that keeping him in custody is necessary to ensure a proper and impartial investigation.
A hearing on the application will be held at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka, said SI Abu Bakar Siddique of the Prosecution Division.
Akhteruzzaman was placed on one-day remand yesterday in the case filed over the alleged disorder and obstruction of government work at the airport.
The Detective Branch arrested him at his residence near the cantonment in the capital on Friday (2 October).
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, after which they entered the terminal through Gate 21 and went to baggage belt 8.
A temporary shortage of luggage trolleys amid heavy passenger pressure led to a long queue. The case alleges that some protocol assistants 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 airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad to the scene, according to the case statement.
It alleges that Akhteruzzaman 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.
The case further alleges that Akhteruzzaman 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 was allegedly verbally abused and later assaulted, according to the case.
The case also alleges that Akhteruzzaman 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 Akhteruzzaman at Airport Police Station.
