Appellate Division has upheld the bail of former lawmaker and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman in a case filed over allegedly threatening the executive director of Shahjalal International Airport and assaulting a security supervisor.
On Monday the Chamber Court of Justice Md Rezaul Haque of the Appellate Division passed a “no order” on the matter. As a result, the bail order granted by the High Court remains upheld. Lawyers said there is no legal obstacle to his release from prison.
Lawyer Shishir Manir conducted the hearing in favour of the petition. Earlier on Sunday Akhtaruzzaman obtained bail from the High Court in this case.
HC bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Md Zakir Hossain granted the bail upon hearing the application. The state had petitioned seeking a stay on the High Court’s order.
On 26 October, the court of Dhaka Fifth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Sadekin Habib Bappi rejected Akhtaruzzaman’s bail application.
Prior to that, his bail plea was also turned down by the Dhaka CMM Court. Failing to secure bail in the lower courts, he moved the High Court.
On the afternoon of 2 October, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Akhtaruzzaman from his residence in the Cantonment DOHS area of the capital.
The following day, the court granted a one-day remand for his interrogation. Upon completion of the remand on 4 October, he was produced before the court, which rejected his bail prayer and ordered him sent to prison.
According to the case allegations, tension erupted at the airport on 1 October over mismanagement, a shortage of luggage trolleys, delays in receiving luggage, and the non-availability of Zamzam water.
At one stage, the altercation escalated into threats. Subsequently, a case was filed against Akhtaruzzaman on charges of creating chaos at the airport, obstructing government duties, and harassing a security official.
Akhtaruzzaman was elected lawmaker twice from Kishoreganj-2 constituency. He emerged victorious from Katiadi constituency as a candidate of the BNP in 1991 and June 1996. Prior to the 13th National Parliamentary Election, he joined Jamaat-e-Islami.
