DHAKA: Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who was removed from his post in the Bangladesh army, was arrested around midnight on Tuesday after his plane was brought back from the runway of Dhaka airport, local media reported.
The former intelligence chief was taken off the aircraft and shifted to the Dhaka cantonment. According to reports Ziaul Ahsan was arrested after a private international airlines’ aircraft was ordered to taxi back to the boarding bridge from the runway at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Reports say during the search, a passenger was arrested and the plane was subsequently allowed to depart for Dubai. Local media have identified the detained passenger as Major General Ziaul Ahsan, the former intelligence chief.
He was removed from his duties yesterday. He was known to be a close associate of the recently resigned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Major General Ziaul Ahsan had served as the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre.
Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus, who is set to lead an interim government has urged the nation to remain calm and use the opportunity to build a better nation.
In a statement released ahead of his return from Europe, Yunus appealed for restraint and non-violence. “I fervently appeal to everybody to stay calm. Please refrain from all kinds of violence,” Yunus said. “Be calm and get ready to build the country. If we take the path of violence everything will be destroyed.”
