Akhtaruzzaman scolds police, throws away Helmet
Jamaat leader Akhtaruzzaman threw his helmet while stepping out of the prison van in the court premises. Photo: Collected.
Former lawmaker and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (Retd.) Akhtaruzzaman got into a heated exchange with police while being taken to court. Before stepping out of the prison van, he scolded police officers and threw away the helmet he was wearing.
The incident took place Saturday afternoon as he stood at the door of the prison van before being taken to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court.
Akhtaruzzaman was handcuffed at the time. Before getting out of the van, he removed his helmet and threw it away. He was heard saying, "I am not from the Awami League. If necessary, I will die here. I will take a bullet from the police, but I will not wear a helmet." He repeatedly demanded that he be handcuffed.
While being taken to court, Akhtaruzzaman complained that in a country won through the Liberation War, he had been handcuffed and made to wear a helmet.
"We cannot be silenced through oppression and torture. Jamaat will fight for the people and work to establish their rights," he said.
He also brought up his remarks about mismanagement at the airport. At one point, he was seen pointing his finger at police officers and reprimanding them from inside the prison van.
He was eventually taken out of the van and escorted to court under tight security. However, before stepping out, Major Akhtaruzzaman had already removed his helmet and thrown it away while standing at the van's door.
Police sought a five-day remand for him in a case filed over allegations of creating disorder and obstructing official duties at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. After the hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Mir granted a one-day remand.
Earlier, on Friday evening, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Akhtaruzzaman at his residence in the DOHS of the Dhaka Cantonment. He was subsequently shown arrested in the airport police station case and produced before the court.
According to the case documents, tensions arose at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport last Thursday over delays in passengers receiving their luggage and a shortage of baggage trolleys following the arrival of a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Medina.
During the incident, Akhtaruzzaman allegedly got into an argument with the airport's executive director, Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, and threatened him.
Following the incident, airport security officer Mohammad Shahriar Alam Sajib filed a case against Akhtaruzzaman at the airport police station, accusing him of obstructing official duties, making threats, and assaulting a security personnel member.
