Bangladesh's deposed foreign minister detained at Dhaka airport

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

.

Updated At : 11:14 PM Aug 06, 2024 IST

People visit the site of a vandalised statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of the Bangladeshi nation, after the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka. Reuters photo

Dhaka, August 6

Bangladesh’s former foreign minister Hassan Mahmud and ex-state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak were detained on Tuesday 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. PTI