Dhaka-17 Jamaat candidate accuses army of bias after being denied cantonment entry with gunman
At one point, he is heard saying, “In Tarique Zia’s case, you clean the roads with your tongue, so why can’t we go?”
A video has been circulating on social media showing Jamaat-e-Islami's Dhaka-17 candidate SM Khaliduzzaman engaging in a heated argument with army personnel, accusing them of providing preferential treatment to selected individuals after he was denied entry in the Dhaka cantonment area while being accompanied by a gunman.
A 7-minute and 36-second video shows SM Khaliduzzaman arguing with on-duty army members at a cantonment checkpoint.
In the footage, army personnel are seen barring Khaliduzzaman after he tried to enter the cantonment with a gunman. One of the individuals accompanying him identifies Khaliduzzaman as a Jamaat candidate.
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The army officers are seen explaining to him that, for security reasons, no one is allowed to enter the cantonment with weapons or armed guards.
Despite the explanation, Khaliduzzaman becomes visibly agitated and challenges the restriction.
At one point, he is heard saying, "In Tarique Zia's case, you clean the roads with your tongue, so why can't we go?"
He also accuses the army members of pushing the country towards destruction and politicising the government and administration for personal interests.
The video further shows Khaliduzzaman asking to speak with the army chief, but he later spoke to a senior officer over the phone. He is also heard instructing his associates to record the scene, saying, "Film it, they are not letting our vehicle pass."
Army personnel are heard assuring him that he would remain safe inside the cantonment, but reiterate that carrying weapons or armed guards is strictly prohibited. Khaliduzzaman, however, claims that his vehicle and party members could face attacks from rival groups outside the cantonment.
The video ends with Khaliduzzaman leaving the area.
The footage began circulating on social media this afternoon (3 February), sparking widespread discussion and criticism.
Later, Khaliduzzaman addressed the issue in a post on his verified Facebook page, describing the incident as a "misunderstanding."
He wrote that the situation occurred several days earlier and had already been resolved, but alleged that "a vested group was now trying to misrepresent the matter for their own interests".
He also expressed regret over the incident and said he would remain cautious in future to prevent similar misunderstandings.
