Akhtaruzzaman arrested over alleged assault and disorder at Dhaka airport

Former lawmaker Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman, who joined Jamaat-e-Islami last year, was arrested today in connection with a case filed over allegedly assaulting an on-duty security official, obstructing government work and creating disorder at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka.

A team of detectives arrested him from his home in Dhaka Cantonment around 6:00pm, said Shafiqul Islam, additional commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch.

Earlier in the day, a case was filed against Akhtaruzzaman for allegedly assaulting a security official at the Dhaka airport during a dispute over luggage delays and a shortage of trolleys yesterday.

Mohammad Shahriar Alam Sajib, a security officer at the airport, filed the case with Airport Police Station under several sections of the Penal Code, said Jesmin Akter Popy, sub-inspector and duty officer of Airport Police Station.

According to the case statement, the incident occurred around 10:40am yesterday near the airport's baggage belt area after passengers arriving from Madinah on Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-338 faced delays in receiving their luggage amid heavy passenger pressure and a shortage of trolleys.

As passengers grew agitated, Mohammad Kamal Hossain, identified in the complaint as the lawmaker from Dhaka-5, asked airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad to come to the scene, the statement said.

When Ragib arrived and tried to bring the situation under control, Akhtaruzzaman allegedly became agitated, moved towards him aggressively and verbally abused him.

The complaint alleged that Akhtaruzzaman threatened the airport executive director, saying, "I will beat you" and "I will grab you by the neck and throw you out". He also allegedly made offensive remarks about the civil aviation and tourism minister.

The situation escalated when people accompanying Akhtaruzzaman began recording videos on their mobile phones inside a restricted Key Point Installation area, according to the complaint.

Warrant Officer Mohammad Kamal Uddin, a security supervisor on duty, asked them not to film in the restricted area. Akhtaruzzaman then allegedly verbally abused Kamal Uddin and physically assaulted him, the complaint said.

The case statement further alleged that Akhtaruzzaman threw bottles of Zamzam water collected by other passengers off trolleys, damaging them, and behaved aggressively towards a representative of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

The complainant said the incident obstructed officials from carrying out their duties at a sensitive and restricted installation and created a risk of disrupting normal order and security at the airport.

According to the complaint, CCTV footage, access and security records, flight records, witness accounts and other relevant evidence could be collected as part of the investigation.

Akhtaruzzaman joined Jamaat-e-Islami in December last year after being expelled from BNP.