The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested Jamaat-e-Islami leader Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman at his Dhaka Cantonment residence on Friday evening.
The arrest followed hours after a criminal case was registered against him over allegations of inciting chaos, obstructing public servants, and physically assaulting an on-duty security supervisor at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
DB Chief Shafiqul Islam confirmed the arrest, saying that a police unit apprehended Akhtaruzzaman following a complaint lodged at Airport Police Station by Airport Security Officer Md Shahriar Alam Sojib.
The First Information Report (FIR) was formally accepted by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Meer. Prosecution Division Sub-Inspector (SI) Abu Bakkar Siddique confirmed that the court instructed the investigating officer, SI Majedul Islam, to submit a final investigation report by 10 November.
Terminal turmoil and verbal tirade
According to the FIR, 34 representatives of Jamaat, the party Akhtaruzzaman joined in December 2025, arrived in Dhaka from Madinah on Thursday aboard Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-338.
After landing at 8:55am, passengers processed through immigration and moved to Luggage Belt 8. However, a severe shortage of luggage trolleys triggered long queues and widespread frustration. The commotion intensified when several protocol assistants attempted to collect trolleys out of turn, exacerbated by delays in baggage handling and the non-arrival of Zamzam water containers.
At approximately 10:40am, Mohammad Kamal Hossain, MP for Dhaka-5, summoned Airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Rageeb Samad to address the growing crowd.
As Group Captain Samad attempted to explain the operational strain, Akhtaruzzaman allegedly confronted him aggressively, hurling obscene slurs and threats.
The FIR quotes Akhtaruzzaman shouting publicly, “I will beat you up… Get out from here… I will throw you out by the neck! You don’t know your job, you came to this posting through lobbying!”
Fearing the situation would escalate further, MP Kamal Hossain escorted the Executive Director to safety. Akhtaruzzaman then reportedly turned on bystanders, shouting, “All of you should be tied up and beaten at the airport and put on social media so that Tarique Rahman sees it! Then you will behave properly.” He also directed derogatory and obscene remarks at the Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
KPI violation and physical assault
The confrontation turned violent when protocol assistants accompanying Akhtaruzzaman began filming the altercation on mobile phones inside a designated Key Point Installation (KPI) zone.
When on-duty Security Supervisor Warrant Officer Mohammad Kamal Uddin instructed them to stop recording, Akhtaruzzaman verbally abused the officer before physically striking him. Investigators further allege that Akhtaruzzaman acted aggressively towards a Biman representative and damaged property by scattering and throwing containers of holy Zamzam water collected by other passengers.
The case statement alleges that through these actions, Akhtaruzzaman deliberately obstructed public servants at a restricted national security facility, issued threats, uttered public obscenities, committed physical assault, and compromised security at the airport.
Jamaat chief condemns arrest
In response to the legal action, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman demanded the immediate release of the freedom fighter and retired army officer, calling for the prompt withdrawal of what he described as a completely fabricated case.
“He did not physically harass anyone. This allegation is entirely false, and I strongly condemn and protest against it,” Shafiqur said in a formal release.
Shafiqur argued that the temporary suspension of two airport officials following the incident clearly demonstrated underlying administrative failures. He maintained that Akhtaruzzaman had simply spoken out against the chronic mistreatment and harassment suffered by expatriate Bangladeshis returning home.
Warning authorities against using the criminal justice system to conceal institutional shortcomings, Shafiqur warned that if the arrest was designed to cover up airport mismanagement, it would set a dangerous precedent that the public would not accept.
