The authorities have suspended three officials for dereliction of duty after former President Abdul Hamid who served two consecutive terms—quietly left the country early Wednesday morning, nine months after the Awami League government was ousted following a student-led uprising.
Hamid departed Dhaka at 3:05am aboard Thai Airways flight TG-340, confirmed the Special Branch of Police.
Immigration and airport security officials told Dhaka Tribune: "He left the country last night (Early Thursday morning).”
The former president reportedly arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11pm, completed the formalities without incident and faced no resistance.
Immigration sources confirmed that there were no travel restrictions or arrest warrants in place, allowing him to travel abroad under the stated purpose of “medical treatment".
He was accompanied by his son Riyad Ahmed and brother-in-law Dr AM Naushad.
However, on Thursday evening, police headquarters confirmed in a notice that an additional superintendent of Police from the airport immigration unit had been withdrawn for negligence.
Two others—a Special Branch officer and the investigating officer in a Kishoreganj Sadar case that names Abdul Hamid as a co-accused alongside former prime minister Sheikh Hasina—have been suspended pending an inquiry.
As notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Police headquarters also formed a three-member probe committee led by the Additional IGP (Administration) to investigate the matter.
The notification also added that the superintendent of Police of Kishoreganj district has also been withdrawn.
Abdul Hamid served as deputy speaker and speaker of Parliament before being elected President in April 2013 and was re-elected for a second term in 2018.
After his tenure ended in April 2023, when current President Md Shahabuddin assumed office, Hamid had been living in his private residence in Dhaka’s Nikunja area.
