Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman has been placed on a one-day remand in a case filed over allegations of inciting chaos, obstructing public servants and physically assaulting an on-duty security supervisor at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Al Biruni Mir passed the order following a hearing on Saturday.
Earlier, Airport Police Station Sub-inspector Majedul Islam sought a five-day remand to interrogate the accused.
According to the case statement, the incident began on 1 October over a shortage of luggage collection facilities and trolleys at the airport. A 34-member Jamaat delegation returned to Dhaka from Madinah along with their family members on that day. Their flight landed at the airport at 8:55am.
The cases states that the temporary shortage of trolleys developed due to excessive passenger congestion at the airport, resulting in long queues. When Airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad arrived at the scene to manage the situation, Akhtaruzzaman behaved inappropriately toward him and issued threats.
The complaint further alleges that he verbally abused and physically assaulted on-duty security supervisor Warrant Officer Mohammad Kamal Uddin.
He is also accused of throwing away bottles and containers of Zamzam water from other passengers’ trolleys, causing damage, and behaving improperly with a representative of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
In the remand petition, police said Akhtaruzzaman needed to be questioned over allegations of obstructing government officials from performing their duties, issuing threats, and disrupting security at a sensitive facility such as the airport. The petition also stated that investigators needed to determine whether anyone else had instigated the incident.
Akhtaruzzaman was arrested from his residence in Dhamalkot area adjacent to Dhaka Cantonment on Friday.
Airport security officer Md Shahriar Alam Sajib filed the case with Airport Police Station.
