Akhtaruzzaman started his legal practice at the District Courts on 27 May 1991.[3]
On 1 April 1993, Akhtaruzzaman joined the judicial branch of the Bangladesh Civil Service and was appointed an assistant judge.[3]
Akhtaruzzaman was promoted to district and sessions judge on 14 June 2015.[3] He was the judge of the Special Judge's Court-5 in Dhaka.[4]
On 30 October 2018, Akhtaruzzaman sentenced former prime minister Khaleda Zia to seven years imprisonment in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.[5][6]
On 21 October 2019, Akhtaruzzaman was appointed an additional judge of the High Court Division.[3][7]
Akhtaruzzaman was made a permanent judge of the High Court Division on 19 October 2021.[8]
On 14 July 2022, Akhtaruzzaman granted bail to a former official of the ministry of land sentenced to five years imprisonment in a corruption case after he filed an appeal against the corruption.[9] The Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court criticized the verdict saying bail should not be given considering only the age of the convict.[9] Akhtaruzzaman and Justice Zafar Ahmed of the High Court Division cancelled an order of the University of Dhaka demoting faculty member Samia Rahman for plagiarism on 4 August 2022.[10] On 18 October, Akhtaruzzaman and Justice Zafar Ahmed ordered the government of Bangladesh to explain why its reconstitution of the board of trustees of Manarat International University should not be declared illegal.[11] Akhtaruzzaman and Justice Zafar Ahmed declared illegal the decision of Jahangirnagar University to suspend two students for assaulting another student in November.[12]
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, an inquiry was launched against Akhtaruzzaman.[13] He resigned in September 2025.[13]