Former Bangladesh Foreign Minister, pro-Awami League journalist barred to leave country

Dhaka: Former Bangladesh Foreign Minister and Awami League's joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud was on Tuesday detained at Dhaka Airport while attempting to leave the country, and later handed over to the army.

Sources at the Dhaka Airport said the immigration police at the Airport detained the former foreign minister as he was leaving the country on Tuesday, August 6.

An official of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said Hasan Mahmud went to the airport on Tuesday afternoon to leave the country where he was subsequently detained, observer.bd reported.

He said the former foreign minister was handed over to the Bangladesh Army at 8:30pm.

On Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India after handing her resignation letter to the president.

Before Sheikh Hasina left the country, many ministers and top leaders of the ruling Awami League party also fled the country. Those who could not leave are now trying their best to do so secretly.

Earlier on Tuesday, former state minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Airport officials and employees apprehended him when he was trying to go to India using the VIP Lounge at the airport.

Instead of allowing him to board the aircraft, he was taken to the immigration custody.

According to reports, former chief of the Detective Branch (DB) of police and additional commissioner (Crime and Ops) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Harun ar Rashid was also detained at the Dhaka airport.

However, Harun has claimed that he was not detained. "I'm at home now."

A state-run organisation detained Harun at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Intelligence sources said Harun was questioned on whose directive he had picked up six coordinators of Anti-Discriminatory Students' Movement when he was the head of the DB, and why did he force the coordinators to issue a statement.

Harun was also asked why he had picked up people sending DB teams to homes indiscriminately in order to suppress the students-people's movement.

The former DB chief was also asked why he misbehaved with people holding different opinions including politicians.

Bangladeshi journalist Shyamol Dutta not allowed to leave country

Bangladeshi immigration authorities at the Akhaura border check post sent back journalist Shyamol Dutta along with his family as there were restrictions on them to leave the country.

Shyamol Dutta, known as a pro-Awami League journalist, was attempting to leave Bangladesh along with his wife and daughter through the Akhaura International Immigration Checkpost at 4:00pm on Tuesday, observer.bd reported.

However, the immigration authorities sent him back as the Special Branch of police had placed restrictions on allowing him to leave the country.

At that time, he pleaded with the immigration authorities to allow him and his family members to go to India.

Akhaura International Immigration police in-charge Md Khairul Alam said Shyamol Dutta came to the immigration along with wife Sanchita Dutta and daughter Sunanda Dutta in the afternoon.

Shyamol Dutta along with family members were turned back from the immigration at about 4:30pm.

Shyamol Dutta is known as a pro-Awami League journalist. He is the editor of Bhorer Kagoj and general secretary of Jatiya Press Club.