‘Vile steps taken to humiliate FF’

Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday accused the authorities of taking “disgraceful” measures to humiliate freedom fighter (FF) and former two-time lawmaker Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman.

“Instead of addressing the weaknesses by taking his protest into consideration, he was arrested.

Even different disgraceful measures were taken to humiliate a former two-time MP and a freedom fighter before the people,” he said in a Facebook post.

Dr Rahman said no human being is above mistakes, adding that Akhtaruzzaman had raised his voice against the suffering and harassment faced by passengers at the airport and the alleged indifference and irregularities of the authorities.

“In fact, he has become the voice of protest for suffering passengers, particularly expatriate Bangladeshis returning home,” he said.

“The people are not blind. They are seeing everything,” the Jamaat chief said, adding that by protesting against injustice, Akhtaruzzaman had demonstrated courage and won the sympathy of many passengers.

Dr Rahman prayed to Allah to elevate Akhtaruzzaman’s dignity.

Detectives arrested Akhtaruzzaman from his Cantonment residence in the capital on Friday evening.

The arrest came after a case was filed against him at Airport Police Station by Dhaka Airport Security Officer Md Shahriar Alam Sajib under several sections of the Penal Code, on charges of obstructing government duties, creating disorder at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and physically assaulting a security official.