'The lift only stays out of order for us': Palak fumes after climbing six floors by stairs

Former state minister for information and communication technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak expressed frustration in court today (8 October) after being made to walk up six floors for a hearing in the murder case of truck driver Md Hossain in Mohammadpur during the July Uprising.

He also requested that he be handcuffed with his hands in front. Palak made the remarks while standing in the dock during a hearing on charge framing in the case before Judge Robiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4.

Ten of the accused in the case are currently in jail, and eight of them, including Palak, were produced before the court and taken to the dock.

With the court's permission, Palak said, "Honourable Court, what kind of system is this? I saw that the lift was working, yet I was made to climb six floors by stairs with my hands handcuffed behind my back. I request the court to arrange for the handcuffs to be placed in front, considering the humanitarian aspect."

The judge replied that the arrangement had been made for their security. Palak then said, "This is not your authority; it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The handcuffs can simply be placed in front."

State lawyer Anichur Rahman objected to Palak's remarks, saying his claim in court was unethical and aimed at weakening the morale of lawyers. "However, the lawyers are not afraid," he said.

Meanwhile, two accused in the case, Sajjad Hossain and Naimul Hasan Russell, were produced before the International Crimes Tribunal and were not brought before the trial court.

As a result, the hearing on charge framing was postponed. The court set 26 October for the next hearing on charge framing, said Belal Hossain, bench assistant of the court.

After the hearing, Palak was taken downstairs by lift. As he was being taken from the courtroom to the lock-up, Palak told journalists, "The lift only remains out of order for us."

According to the case statement, Md Hossain, a truck driver, was shot dead in the Chand Udyan area of Mohammadpur on 19 July 2024 during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. He had left his truck in Gabtoli and was returning home when he was shot in Chand Udyan and died at the scene.

His mother, Rina Begum, filed the murder case with Mohammadpur Police Station on 31 August 2024.

On 23 November 2025, Mohammadpur Police Sub-Inspector Akramuzzaman, the investigation officer in the case, submitted a charge sheet against 34 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The accused include former Awami League general secretary and former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former MP Sadek Khan, banned Bangladesh Chhatra League president Saddam Hossain and general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan, among others. Palak, Sadek, Furkan and Shahjahan are currently in jail.