Akhtaruzzaman placed on one-day remand

Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman, a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, was placed on one-day remand on Saturday over allegations of creating disorder at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by obstructing government work and assaulting a security officer.
Majedul Islam, a sub-inspector of the Airport Police Station, filed the remand prayer seeking five days’ custody to question Akhtaruzzaman in connection with the case.
Akhtaruzzaman was arrested at his residence in Dhaka Cantonment at around 6:00pm on Friday. 
According to case documents, Akhtaruzzaman is accused of disrupting the airport’s normal operations by verbally and physically intimidating its officials.
As part of the petition, police said five day’s remand was necessary to determine whether Akhtaruzzaman’s actions were instigated by vested quarters to tarnish image of the country’s premier airport.
After the hearing, members of Jamaat-e-Islami staged a protest rally at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, alleging that Akhtaruzzaman has been arrested on “flimsy grounds”.

Claiming that the arrest was orchestrated over resentment of Akhtaruzzaman leaving the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said the former lawmaker from Kishoreganj-2 acted within in his rights. 
He further said that beyond simply speaking about irregularities, mismanagement, corruption and inefficiencies at the airport, Akhtaruzzaman could even reprimand incompetent, unsuccessful and inefficient officials.
 “But the government used the incident as a pretext to arrest him and place him on remand, essentially expressing political vengeance and resentment,” he added.
Golam also informed that the airport authorities acknowledged there was mismanagement on their part and have dismissed two officials over the issue.
With this backdrop, he demanded a withdrawal of the “false” case.
“Besides, taking him to court in handcuffs and sending him on remand is in no way acceptable. Speaking firmly to authorities out of frustration is a citizen’s right, and Akhtaruzzaman merely exercised that right,” he said.
Regarding how Akhtaruzzaman was made to wear a helmet when being taken into custody, Golam said such measures are taken in the case of hardened criminals, murderers, robbers or accused individuals who are considered likely to flee. “But he [Akhtaruzzaman] voluntarily went with police. So, why was he made to wear a helmet?”

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