Published : 03 Oct 2026, 02:05 PM
Updated : 03 Oct 2026, 02:05 PM
A Dhaka court has granted police one day to question Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman Ranjan in custody in a case over allegations of creating disorder, obstructing official duties and assaulting a security supervisor at Shahjalal International Airport.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Mir issued the order on Saturday after police sought five days to question the former MP in custody.
Abu Bakkar Siddique, a sub-inspector with the prosecution division, confirmed the remand order.
Airport Police Station Sub-Inspector Majedul Islam, the investigating officer in the case, produced Akhtaruzzaman in court and sought the five-day remand.
Shahriar Alam Sajib, a security officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), filed the case early on Friday.
A Detective Branch team arrested Akhtaruzzaman from his home in Dhaka's Cantonment later that day.
The case stems from a confrontation at Shahjalal Airport on Thursday morning over delays in the arrival of luggage and the distribution of Zamzam water to Umrah pilgrims arriving from Madinah.
A video of the confrontation circulated on social media, showing Akhtaruzzaman in a heated exchange with airport officials.
Addressing the airport's Executive Director SM Ragib Samad, he is heard saying: "I'll grab you by the neck and throw you out. You don't work, you don't do anything. You get your postings through lobbying. Do you want to get beaten?"
According to the case statement, 34 Jamaat delegates and their family members arrived from Madinah on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at 8:55am.
A long queue had formed for trolleys amid a surge in arriving passengers, while several protocol assistants tried to collect trolleys without following the queue, it alleges.
Some of those waiting later became "agitated" over delays in receiving their luggage and Zamzam water and behaved "inappropriately", according to the case.
Around 10:45am, Dhaka-5 MP Mohammad Kamal Hossain called the airport's executive director to the scene.
The case alleges that Akhtaruzzaman approached Samad aggressively as he tried to explain the passenger pressure and trolley situation, verbally abused him and repeatedly threatened him.
It further alleges that he threatened to have airport personnel "tied up and beaten" and the footage posted on social media so Prime Minister Tarique Rahman could see it.
Akhtaruzzaman is also accused of making derogatory remarks about Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat.
According to the case, security supervisor Mohammad Kamal Uddin later asked those present not to film inside the airport's key point installation (KPI) area.
Akhtaruzzaman then allegedly verbally abused and physically assaulted him.
The case statement says the alleged assault occurred outside CCTV coverage but that the incident could be established through the victim and eyewitnesses.
It also alleges that Akhtaruzzaman behaved aggressively towards a Biman representative and threw bottles of Zamzam water belonging to other passengers off a trolley.
Shortly before his arrest on Friday evening, Akhtaruzzaman posted a video on Facebook saying DB personnel were taking him away.
"Pray for me, so that I can become a martyr for the people, for the people of the country, especially for expatriates.
"May Allah accept that wish of mine. I am in the struggle for people's rights and I will remain in it. As long as I live, I will stand by the people... I will sacrifice this life for the people."
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Mir has ordered police to submit their investigation report by Nov 10.
Akhtaruzzaman, a retired Army major, served twice as an MP for Kishoreganj-2, winning the seat as a BNP candidate in 1991 and June 1996.
He joined Jamaat-e-Islami shortly before the 13th parliamentary election. His younger brother Anisuzzaman Khokon contested the seat as an independent in that election.
