‘Is the lift closed only for us?’ Palak fumes in court
Palak Raises Handcuff and Court Access Concerns During Dhaka Hearing
Thebangladaily.com – Former State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak voiced anger inside a Dhaka courtroom on Thursday after he was required to climb six storeys while his hands were restrained behind his back. He appeared before Judge Rabiul Alam at Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 in a murder case linked to the killing of truck driver Md Hossain.
During the hearing, Palak appealed for a change in how he is restrained while being moved through the court complex. He said that handcuffs placed behind his back made climbing the stairway more difficult and urged the court to consider the issue on humanitarian grounds.
I was brought up the stairs with my hands handcuffed behind my back. My request to the court is to arrange for handcuffs to be placed in front.
Palak also addressed the prosecution during the proceedings, making a pointed observation about the changing nature of political and legal circumstances.
The Public Prosecutor should realize that my current position is not too far from where he stands today.
After leaving the courtroom, he questioned court security personnel about whether elevator access had been restricted specifically for detainees. His question focused on why he and others had been taken up and down the building by stairway despite an operational lift being available.
Is the lift closed only for us?
Defence Raises Safety and Dignity Issues
Palak’s lawyer, Farzana Yasmin Rakhi, said one of the court building’s two functioning lifts was available on the day of the hearing. Despite that, she said security personnel required her client to use the stairs for the full six-floor journey.
Rakhi also raised concerns over the equipment supplied to detainees. She said the handcuffs used by authorities were rusted and that the bulletproof jackets provided were dirty. In her view, the condition of those items created health concerns for people being brought to court from custody.
The remarks drew attention to the practical conditions surrounding court appearances for accused persons. Hearings often require detainees to be transferred between detention facilities and judicial buildings under security arrangements. In this case, the discussion centered not on the allegations themselves but on the way an accused person was physically moved to and from the courtroom.
Proceedings Deferred as Two Accused Were Absent
Bench Assistant Belal Hossain said the scheduled proceedings were postponed because two other accused could not be produced before the court. Sajjad Hossain and Naimul Hasan Russel were attending hearings at the International Crimes Tribunal at the time.
Of the 10 suspects currently held in custody in the case, eight were brought before the court. The remaining two were unavailable because of the separate tribunal proceedings. Another 20 accused in the case remain absconding.
The deferral means the case will return to court at a later stage, when the judicial process can continue with the accused persons expected for the hearing. The production of detained accused is an important procedural element in criminal cases, particularly where multiple defendants are facing allegations arising from the same incident.
Case Relates to Death of Truck Driver in Mohammadpur
The murder case concerns Md Hossain, a truck driver who was shot dead in the Chand Uddan area of Mohammadpur on July 19, 2024. He was returning home at the time of the shooting, which occurred during the anti-discrimination student movement.
His mother, Reena Begum, later filed a murder case with Mohammadpur Police Station on August 31, 2024. Her complaint initiated the criminal investigation into the death and the circumstances surrounding it.
Sub-Inspector Akramuzzaman, the investigating officer, submitted the charge sheet on November 23, 2025. The charge sheet named 34 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was described in the case as ousted from office.
Palak is among those facing proceedings connected with the investigation. The courtroom exchange on Thursday did not alter the allegations in the charge sheet, but it highlighted disputes over the conditions in which accused persons are brought before the judiciary.
A Case With Multiple Accused
The number of people named in the charge sheet has made the case procedurally complex. With several suspects in custody, two attending proceedings elsewhere, and 20 still absconding, the court must manage the presence and legal representation of numerous accused individuals as the matter advances.
The absence of accused persons can affect the day’s schedule, particularly when the court needs to consider matters involving multiple defendants. Thursday’s adjournment reflected that challenge, as the court could not proceed with Sajjad Hossain and Naimul Hasan Russel unavailable because of their separate International Crimes Tribunal hearings.
For Palak, the hearing also became an opportunity to place his concerns directly before the court. His request was specifically for front-facing handcuffs, rather than restraints positioned behind his back, after the stairway transfer. The issue was presented as one involving physical difficulty and humane treatment while under security supervision.
The case remains before Dhaka Special Judge Court-4, where future hearings are expected to address the allegations arising from Md Hossain’s death as well as the procedural matters involved in handling the many accused named in the charge sheet.
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