Former president Abdul Hamid returns home

Former president M Abdul Hamid has returned to the country. He served two terms as president during the tenure of the Awami League government.

He arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital from Thailand around 1:45 am on Monday. He left the airport around 3:00 am.

A source at immigration police confirmed the news to Prothom Alo. Abdul Hamid was accompanied by his younger son Riad Ahmed and brother-in-law Naushad Khan.

Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, executive director of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said on Monday morning that Abdul Hamid returned like an ordinary passenger.

According to airport authorities, he was brought down from the aircraft in a wheelchair.

On the night of 7 May, Abdul Hamid, who faces a lawsuit, left the country on a Thai Airways flight.

A case was filed in Kishoreganj against former president Abdul Hamid, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 124 others in connection with an attack and shooting during a student protest. The case was filed at Kishoreganj police station on 14 January.

Abdul Hamid’s departure from the country sparked criticism and protests across various quarters nationwide. Kishoreganj’s superintendent of police Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury was withdrawn. An additional superintendent of police posted at Dhaka Airport Immigration was also withdrawn, while a sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector were suspended.