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Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar has alleged that the government arrested freedom fighter Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman to take political revenge after he left the BNP and joined Jamaat-e-Islami.
He made the allegation while addressing a protest rally organised by Jamaat’s Dhaka city units at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram on Saturday, protesting the arrest and remand of Akhtaruzzaman.
Parwar said Akhtaruzzaman, a senior citizen, freedom fighter and three-time former lawmaker, had the right to speak out against alleged irregularities, mismanagement, corruption and inefficiency at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
“He can even reprimand incompetent, failed and inefficient officials when necessary,” Parwar said, alleging that the government had used the airport incident as a pretext to arrest and remand Akhtaruzzaman and express its political resentment.
Calling for withdrawal of what he described as a false case and cancellation of the remand order, Parwar demanded Akhtaruzzaman’s immediate release.
He said Akhtaruzzaman had once again demonstrated courage by protesting against alleged wrongdoing.
Parwar also criticised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman over remarks concerning Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, accusing the government of political hypocrisy.
He said BNP leaders had remained absent from many street programmes during previous anti-government movements, while Jamaat and Shibir activists had taken part in protests.
Parwar also referred to BNP’s past political alliances, saying Jamaat should not be labelled anti-liberation or a clandestine organisation without the BNP examining its own political history.
He alleged that some people who had held senior state positions despite their roles during the 1971 Liberation War had been appointed to those positions by BNP governments.
He further alleged that the government had maintained covert contacts with the Awami League, claiming that this was why the party was still able to hold street programmes.
Parwar said the opposition would cooperate if the government came forward to build unity against what he called the “fugitive fascist” forces.
Presided over by Jamaat’s Central Executive Council member and Dhaka North city unit ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin, the rally was also addressed by Jamaat’s Central Executive Council member and Dhaka South city unit secretary Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud.
Masud alleged that handcuffing Akhtaruzzaman amounted to handcuffing the country’s freedom fighters and that sending him to remand had disrespected both the freedom fighters and the Liberation War.
He claimed that action should instead have been taken against those involved in extortion, land grabbing and other alleged crimes, rather than against Akhtaruzzaman for protesting irregularities and mismanagement.
“The BNP government’s anger towards Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman is known to us. Its anger is over why Akhtaruzzaman left the BNP and joined Jamaat-e-Islami in support of justice and fairness,” Masud said.
Jamaat leader and lawmaker Kamal Hossain alleged that 34 members of parliament who arrived at the airport had not received protocol assistance from the airport authorities and were instead harassed.
He said Akhtaruzzaman had only protested against harassment of expatriate Bangladeshis and had committed no crime, claiming that he himself had witnessed the incident.
He also accused the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister of making an inaccurate statement and called on him to apologise to the nation.
Dhaka University Central Students’ Union Vice-President Sadik Kayem accused the Tarique Rahman government of becoming “neo-fascist”.
He alleged that the government had failed to ensure people’s fundamental rights and security and said the alleged harassment of expatriate Bangladeshis at the airport showed that the government was hostile towards expatriates.
Kayem demanded Akhtaruzzaman’s immediate release and called for steps to resolve the airport’s existing problems and end harassment of expatriate passengers.
Jamaat’s Dhaka North city unit secretary Dr Rezaul Karim conducted the rally. Among others, Jamaat leaders Maulana Yasin Arafat, Dr Abdul Mannan, Hafez Rashedul Islam, Advocate SM Kamal Uddin and Dr Mobarak Hossain were present.
In his concluding remarks, Selim Uddin accused the government of being intolerant of criticism and warned against what he described as political manoeuvring against Jamaat.
He alleged that Akhtaruzzaman’s arrest and remand were intended to send a message that no one could speak out against government corruption and irregularities.
Following the rally, Jamaat activists brought out a protest procession from the north gate of Baitul Mukarram. The procession passed through Paltan intersection and the Press Club before ending at Matsya Bhaban intersection, with participants demanding Akhtaruzzaman’s immediate release.