Ex-Bangladesh ambassador Khairuzzaman detained in Malaysia

Malaysian authorities on Wednesday detained retired major Mohamed Khairuzzaman, former Bangladesh high commissioner to Malaysia.

He was held from his residence in the Ampang area of Malaysia’s Selangor state.

Khairuzzaman — charged in 1975 Jail Killing case and later acquitted — was appointed the ambassador to Malaysia in 2007.

After assuming office, the Sheikh Hasina-led government in January 2009 had recalled Khairuzzaman to Dhaka and revoked his Bangladesh passport.

Assuming the imminent risk to his life Khairuzzaman approached the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kuala Lumpur and obtained an identity card to continue his stay in Malaysia.

After his detention on Wednesday, Khairuzzaman’s lawyers issued a legal notice to the Malaysian authorities seeking his release. The Business Insider Bangladesh has obtained a copy of the legal notice.

Demanding his immediate release, the notice said, “A Bangladeshi national named Mohammad Khairuzzaman (UNHCR No 354-10C02267) has been detained by the Malaysian Immigration Department without any valid reason.”

The notice, written in Bahasa Malaysia, also said Khairuzzaman has the right to stay in Malaysia as a UNHCR cardholder.

The legal notice also gave a 24-hour ultimatum for the release of Khairuzzaman.

“If we do not receive a response from immigration authorities within 24 hours, we will file a habeas corpus in the court,” it said.

Habeas corpus is used to bring a prisoner or other detainee before the court to determine if the person’s imprisonment or detention is lawful.

After the brutal jail killings, Khairuzzaman was transferred from the army to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and posted to the Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo in 1976. He served there until 1983.

Later, during the 1996-2001 period of Sheikh Hasina-led government, Khairuzzaman was charged in the Jail Killing case.

He was accused of being involved in the assassination of four national leaders — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain Mansur Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman — on November 3, 1975.

Khairuzzaman was arrested in June 1996 and was sent on forced retirement on September 24 the same year. Prior to his arrest and retirement, he served as acting ambassador in Manila.

Later, during her premiership Khaleda Zia from 2001 to 2006 period, Khairuzzaman was released on bail.

He was reinstated as director general in the foreign ministry on May 4, 2003.

Along with Khairuzzaman, the late BNP leaders KM Obaidur Rahman, Shah Moazzem Hossain and Nurul Islam Manzur were acquitted by a court in 2004 of murder charges in the Jail Killing case.

After his release, Khairuzzaman was promoted to the post of additional secretary. He was then appointed ambassador to Myanmar and served there from September 2005 to August 2006.

He was again promoted to the full secretary in August 2007 and was appointed high commissioner to Malaysia with the rank and status of a first class ambassador.