Hajjaj's mysterious departure

Bobby Hajjaj, advisor to Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, who has set off for the UK, claims he has been compelled to leave the country.

RAB says it has no idea.

Hajjaj says he is leaving because of threats following detention for over 20 hours.

Tarek Mortoja, communications officer of Jatiya Party’s Research and Strategy Wing, told bdnews24.com on Tuesday he had no information on why Hajjaj left for London.

Hajjaj heads the wing.

A source close to Hajjaj told bdnews24.com a rumour surfaced over Hajjaj’s arrest after RAB officials had gone to his house two days ago.

He left for the UK on Monday afternoon all of a sudden.

In a Facebook post, Hajjaj said, “Detained for over 20 hours, threatened to retract all statements and disappear or face the whole wrath of the government, all because of a statement criticising an election where a majority has won before one vote was cast.”

He said Ershad had appealed to withdraw his candidature but it was accepted without any apparent reason.

“This election is a farce and travesty; it is a slap on the face of our people.”

Mortoja confirmed to bdnews24.com that Hajjaj wrote the post on the Facebook.

Hajjaj appeared before the media after the Jatiya Party chief was taken to hospital amid RAB escort last week.

He claimed to be a spokesperson for Ershad and gave statements before the media.

In a statement released on the letterhead of the Research and Strategy Wing, one day after Ershad was sent to the Combined Military Hospital, Hajjaj claimed Ershad had been detained at the CMH on the pretext of treatment.

He also said the Jatiya Party chief was sticking to his decision of boycotting the Jan 5 polls.

At a press conference on Saturday, Hajjaj said Ershad was being 'forcefully' made an MP.

The RAB officials went to Hajjaj’s residence that night, his personal assistant said.

Media reported that the RAB ‘forcefully’ sent Hajjaj, elder son of Bangladeshi expatriate in the UK Musa Bin Shamsher, but the RAB officials dismissed the charge.

RAB’s legal and media wing director ATM Habibur Rahman exclaimed, “Who? Actress Bobby?”

After revealing Hajjaj’s political identity, the RAB official said, “We know nothing about the matter.”

Hajjaj apologised to the party leaders and media for not answering their calls.

“...I apologise to the hundreds of Jatiyo Party workers and leaders and our friends in the press and media, who called me incessantly over the last two days, for not answering.

“...it was made ‘explicitly’ clear to me that I would be charged with abetting terrorism if I spoke to party workers and to the media...”

Hajjaj, who studied in the US and UK, is now teaching at North South University in Bangladesh. He was appointed as an advisor to the Jatiya Party Chairman last year.