I’ve quit politics and Awami League, Kamal Majumder tells court

Former industries minister of the ousted Awami League government Kamal Ahmed Majumder has told the court that he will not be doing politics anymore.

He also has resigned from the party, he said.

The AL leader and a former state minister said this after being produced before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court Monday morning.

Kamal Ahmed Majumder and five others were produced before the court in a case filed over the killing of Atiqul Islam.

The other five persons are former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s adviser Salman F Rahman, former food minister Quamrul Islam, former inspectors general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and AKM Shahidul Haque.

The court granted the police appeal to show them arrested in this new case.

The judge was yet to come when Kamal Ahmed Majumder was seen talking to his lawyer angrily at 10:02 am. He was seen scolding his lawyer for not appealing to the High Court for his bail.

Although the lawyer was trying to respond, Kamal Ahmed kept on talking to him without giving him any chance. The judge reached the court in between. Following that, Kamal Ahmed Majumder moved to the other side of the court. He kept staring at the judge.

Meanwhile, a police official called the names of Anisul Huq and Salman F Rahman. They both were were looking at the judge. At this point, Kamal Majumder raised his hands to say something. Right at that moment, a police official called the names of Kamal Majumder, Quamrul Islam, Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun and AKM Shahidul Haque. Kamal Majumder and others were looking at the judge at the time. However, the judge kept reading the case documents.

After a while the judge told Anisul Huq, Salman F Rahman, Kamal Majumder and others, “You have been shown arrested in a murder case. Your names were among the accused in the case statement.”

As soon as the judge finished, Kamal Majumder started to talk, addressing the judge. He said, “I am 76. I have diabetes. Still the jail authorities are not allowing me to carry my glucometre.”

Kamal started sobbing at this point. He regained composure and went on to say, “We cannot talk to our lawyers here either. We are not being allowed to speak to our lawyers.”

He started sobbing again and said, “My lord, I won’t be doing politics anymore. I also resigned from the Awami League. I am being made accused in cases one after another. I am being shown arrested in cases one after another. I am subjected to torture. I was supposed to be playing with my grandchildren at my age.”

Addressing the court, the former state minister further said, “Let me carry my glucometre. Let me have at least a digital version of holy Quran.”

Later the court asked him to appeal to the regular court in this regard. Following the hearing, Kamal Majumder and others were taken to the court premises from the court room.

Although Salman F Rahman and others remained silent, Kamal Majumder started talking as soon as he saw the newspersons. He told the newspersons, “I have resigned from the Awami League. I don’t hold any posts. I also have quitted politics.”

In response to the question as to when he took the decision, the former lawmaker said, “You can say I quitted politics today. I won’t be doing politics anymore.”

Explaining his decision to quit politics Kamal Majumder said, “The environment of the country is not suitable for doing politics. It’s not possible to be active politically at the age of 76. We want the youth to take the leadership.”

He was taken to the court lock up afterwards.

Kamal Ahmed Majumder served as a lawmaker from Dhaka-15 constituency for 15 consecutive years. He introduced a special judicial system going beyond the laws of the country.

He established a so-called Samajik Bichar Committee (social judicial committee) which was active from 2009 to 2014.

Anisul Huq, Salman F Rahman and Kamal Majumder were taken out of the court lock up at around 9:55 am today. All of them had a handcuff on one hand, except Salman F Rahman whose both hands were cuffed from behind. But they all kept their both hands behind. Two policemen helped Salman F Rahman move to the court room.

After the hearing the adviser of the former prime minister was taken back to custody in a similar way. He was looking downwards at the time.

However, none of Salman F Rahman or Anisul Huq refrained from saying anything. However, former IGP AKM Shahidul Huq spoke to his lawyer.

Speaking to Prothom Alo regarding handcuffing the accused from behind, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court additional public prosecutor (PP) Azizul Haque Didar said he had no information whether Salman F Rahman and others were handcuffed or not at the time of being produced before the court.

Earlier on Wednesday, Salman F Rahman, Anisul Huq and former social welfare minister Nuruzzman Ahmed were handcuffed from behind while being taken to the court. They had both their arms handcuffed that day.

* This report appeared on the online version of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu