Bangladesh: Ex-foreign minister among others detained at Dhaka airport

Bangladesh's former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud and ex-state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak were detained on Tuesday, 6 August at the Dhaka airport while attempting to flee the country, a day after prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country following deadly protests against her government.

Mahmud went to Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to "catch a flight en route to Delhi," an Airport Aviation Security (AVSEC) official was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.

He was detained at the airport while attempting to flee Bangladesh, the official added.

Mahmud served as the foreign minister in the deposed Hasina government.

According to media reports, the former foreign minister earlier attempted to flee through a land port with India but was not allowed to cross the border.

His detention came hours after former state minister for post, telecommunication and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak was barred from leaving the country by airport authorities.

Palak was detained at the airport and handed over to the Air Force authorities who are currently in-charge of handling the security system of the airport.

Earlier reports claimed that several top leaders and lawmakers of Hasina's Awami League and cabinet ministers left the country ahead of her departure.

Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader left the country on Sunday night.

Ex-law minister Anisul Huq left the country to unknown destination ahead of Hasina's resignation, his personal aide said.

The deposed premier’s private industry and investment adviser and lawmaker Salman F Rahman also fled the country on Sunday night, according to his aides, who however, could not confirm which country he was heading to.

Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor and Hasina’s nephew Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh left Dhaka on a Biman flight on Saturday morning with aviation sources saying he boarded a Singapore-bound aircraft. Controversial lawmaker Shamim Osman also fled the country last week.

Former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury and local government, rural development and cooperatives minister Md Tazul Islam left the country through the airport.

Former finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and sports minister Nazmul Hassan Papon also left the country, sources said. Besides, former MP of Munshiganj-3 Mrinal Kanti Das and supreme court judge Md Badruzzaman also left the country.

Several leaders of Awami League’s student front 'Chhatra League', including its president and general secretary, also left the country on Monday.

Several other ministers left their official or private residences as the government was ousted following the violent protests over a quota system for government jobs.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon called on India to arrest Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, and send them back to Bangladesh.

"We want to maintain a good relationship with the people of India. Please, arrest Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, who fled the country, and send them back to Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina has killed many people in Bangladesh," Khokon, who is also a joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.